Exploratory talks towards resuming the GRP-NDF peace negotiations ended abruptly yesterday in Utrecht, the Netherlands as the NDF demanded a delisting of the CPP/NPA and NDF Chief Political Consultant Jose Ma. Sison from the terrorist rolls of the United States and the European Union.

"We can’t move forward at the moment; the NDF wants the CPP/NPA and Mr. Sison out of the list and the government is not inclined to change its position, which has important implications on the national interests," Secretary Silvestre Afable, Jr. head of the GRP Exploratory Team, said.

Afable was in Utrecht with GRP Panel Chair Silvestre Bello III and Panel Executive Director Ma. Carla Munsayac-Villarta. The GRP team met with NDF Panel Chair Luis Jalandoni and member Fidel Agcaoili and their staff.

"We gave them a 7-point proposal to restart the formal peace talks but the NDF does not want to proceed, claiming that they are under duress because of the terrorist list," Afable added.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo dispatched Afable’s team to the Netherlands to propose a fast-tracked negotiation leading to one comprehensive agreement, backed by a unilateral suspension of offensive military operations (SOMO) by both sides for the duration of the formal talks.

Afable said he would immediately inform the President, the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security and the Norwegian government, which has agreed to host projected formal negotiations, of the results of the exploratory talks.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has said that she will see to it that her successor in Malacanang would continue the reforms that she has started, especially in building a strong Republic and in freeing the country from the politics of patronage.

In an interview with Reuters, the British news agency, the President said that in due time she will endorse a successor who is also reform-minded.

The President said that because of her desire to institutionalize her reform agenda, she has asked Congress to pass legislation on these reforms.

"When reforms are legislated, they are, in effect, irreversible for a very long time," the President said.

When asked if there is anything that would change her mind in not running in 2004, the President said that when she announced her decision last December 30, 2002, "it was already the final decision."

The President said that it took her a "long time" to make her announcement although the decision has already been an option from the beginning.

According to the President, during the next 17 months of her term, she would like to continue strengthening the economy in order to create jobs and to promote an investment atmosphere that is as much as possible free of corruption and red tape.

She also said that the other two major goals that she envisioned to accomplish before relinquishing the presidency next year is to heal the divisions within the society caused by too much politics and to work for clean and honest elections in 2004.

The President stressed that from her own experience in governance, there is really a need to strengthen the country’s institutions.

"We must strengthen our bureaucracy and we must work toward freeing the policy making from the control of vested interests," the President said.

The control of vested groups in the economy, the President said, can be seen in the large gap between the rich and the poor, who have been exploited for political ends.

"This control is manifested in the politics of patronage and, at the extreme, corruption to finance that patronage. It has been manifested in the use, lately, of black propaganda and destabilization as tools of political contest," the President said.

She said that the common denominator of all these is too much politics.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is fully supportive of her government as she debunked insinuations that the military defied her order to stop the offensive against the Pentagon kidnap-for-ransom gang in the Liguasan Marsh in Central Mindanao last week.

In an interview with Reuters, the British news agency, the President said that she was very confident that the AFP is behind her and would comply with her instructions.

"I know of many occasions when they would have wished I gave another instruction, but when I gave it, they followed it very diligently," the President said.

When asked why there was no cessation of fighting when she gave the order on February 11, the President said that when she issued the order effective at 4:00 p.m. on that day, there was a cessation of fighting on the part of the military but there were some violations from the other side.

"To begin with, I cannot tell the Pentagon or the MILF to stop fighting. As I understand it, there were two specific firefights that were initiated by the other side. And our soldiers, of course, defended themselves," the President said.

The President said that she ordered a cessation of hostilities in deference to the request of our Muslim brothers to observe a Muslim holiday.

She said that except for the two skirmishes from 4:00 p.m. of that day to 2:00 p.m. the following day, when she ordered the resumption of the offensive in the Buliok Complex, it was generally quiet on that day.

The President stressed that the campaign in Mindanao is not against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"We are going after any group that breaks the law. To our mind, the Pentagon gang has been breaking the law. And we are going after any group that harbors them," the President said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has allayed fears that a United States attack on Iraq could result in retaliatory acts against the government by Muslim rebels as she stressed that terrorism can strike anywhere even without the US attack on Iraq.

In an interview with Reuters, the British news agency, the President said she does not subscribe to the "backlash theory" because terrorism can strike anywhere, anytime.

The President said that she is clamping down on terrorists in the Philippines or rebels suspected of harboring criminals not because of pressures from Washington, D.C.

"It is because it is in our national interest. We want to have peace and order in our country. So, we have to enforce the law," the President said.

The President explained that even if the government is enforcing the law against the rebels or lawless elements, it will still negotiate with those who are willing to talk peace.

She said that there is actually no contradiction in going after the rebels and in talking peace. "If you look at the history of the world, the talk and peace mode has always been there," the President said, citing the talks between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan government, and the Israeli-Palestinian talks now being revived in Israel.

"So, you don’t need a ceasefire before you talk. In fact, the laying down of arms is supposed to be the end state of the talks," the President said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last night lauded the National Broadcasting Network (NBN) for its unprecedented move in expanding their broadcast services worldwide and providing accessible lines where Filipinos can interact, by means of communication with their counterparts in other parts of the world to the million Filipinos living and working abroad.

In her one-minute message during the launching of NBN World at the Hotel Intercontinental Manila in Makati City, the President cited the government-controlled network for its important role in delivering the good message about the Filipino throughout the world.

"Ngayong gabi natupad ang isang pangarap. Ngayong gabi, isinilang ang ating sandaigdigang pamayanan. Nagkakaisa nang tunay ang sambayanang Pilipino (Tonight, a dreams becomes a reality. Tonight, a world community is born. The Filipino people are really united with each other)," the President said.

In her message, the President said NBN World is now opening new windows of opportunity for Filipinos.

The President congratulated the officials and employees of NBN for the timely launching of their broadcast services all over the world.

"Binabati ko ang NBN sa dakilang pangarap na isinakatuparan natin ngayon – isang lahi, isang bayan, isang pananaw, isang daigdig – isang Republika ng Pilipinas (I would like to congratulate the NBN for making the dream come true – one nation, one vision, one world – one Philippine Republic)," she said.

She also expressed her congratulations to all the members of Congress, who worked for the passage of the Absentee Voting Law.

The President stressed that the launching of NBN World was timely because a few weeks ago the absentee voting bill was finally passed into law by the two chambers of Congress.

Before delivering her message, the President led the formal launching by switching on the facilities for global telecast followed by a short dialogue with overseas Filipino workers in Sydney, Australia through satellite.

Among the overseas Filipino workers who interacted with the President were Philippine basketball legend Carlos "Caloy" Loyzaga, Kate Andres, Leo Seneza, and Kim Campos.

For his part, Loyzaga expressed his thanks to the President because after so many years of stay in Australia, he can now watch the live telecast of Philippine basketball game through NBN World entertainment and TARBS World TV.

The President answered the questions raised by Kate Andres about the security measures being undertaken by the government.

She also inform Leo Seneza that the Philippine government is ready to implement the contingency plans to ensure the safety of 1.5-million overseas Filipinos working in the Middle East in case of an outbreak of the war in Iraq.

She also answered the question by Kim Campos about the dual citizenship bill pending in the Senate.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today named Rear Admiral Ernesto H. de Leon, presently AFP Deputy Chief for Plans (J5), to the position of Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy.

The designation was made by the President upon the recommendation of Defense Secretary Angelo T. Reyes and the Board of Generals.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo launched today a nationwide campaign against street crimes in the wake of what she called the ordinary citizens’ dissatisfaction, displeasure and disappointment with the vigor of police response to crimes affecting the masses.

"Sad to say, there are even widespread perceptions that the police is ineffective, that the government is unable to protect people’s lives and property from thieves, robbers, rapists and other bad guys," the President told the nation’s top police commanders during an expanded Command Conference in Malacanang this morning.

The President then issued a series of directives to all the police generals and colonels to "show the people what you have been organized, trained and equipped to do: fight crimes and stop criminals."

She ordered police officials to "spend 50 percent of their working hours in the streets, not in the offices."

She reiterated her order to the police commanders to channel more resources directly to the police station levels.

She demanded accountability for performance, particularly from the station commanders, including responsibility for the rascals in uniform.

She ordered the training of barangay tanods in basic police functions and ordered the release of P10 million to jumpstart the institutionalization of the barangay tanods as part of the para-police force.

She directed all the police officers and men to carry out "an effective and vigorous response to crime not only in media but also in the streets and in the perception of the people."

The President also gave the police commanders of Metro Manila and Central Visayas marching orders to bring down the crime rate by at least 20 percent.

"To all the participants in this command conference, you are all leaders, so I expect you to show your leadership by example in this thrust of hitting the streets," the President said.

"It is not just putting more people proportionately where the crime rate is extra high but police officials, from the commander down to the precinct and station levels, should go out of their offices to the streets and to the barangays," the President said.

The President likewise said that even those in the top police hierarchy must adopt a barangay as his own case of preventing crime, but involving the community.

"So I would expect 700 barangays to be especially taken care of by the generals and colonels who are attending this conference," the President said.

The President also directed the PNP leadership to come up with a detailed plan, specially for Metro Manila, for increasing the number of barangay tanods that will institutionally become part of their para-police machinery.

Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process who was designated recently to oversee the rehabilitation of the Liguasan Marsh, reported from Pikit, Cotabato today as per assessment of Gen. Generoso Senga (6^th Division) and Col. Cardoso Luna (602^nd Brigade), that the towns of Pikit, Raja Muda and the Buliok Complex have been cleared of armed elements.

All evacuees may now return to their homes, Secretary Ermita said.

Secretary Ermita is on an inspection tour of the area together with Secretaries Dinky Soliman, Ging Deles, Jesus Dureza and Agriculture Undersecretary Ed Sana.

Ermita’s group met with North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel Piņol and Pikit Mayor Faridah Malinco to assess the situation and determine the immediate relief and rehabilitation work needed to restore the town to normalcy.

Ermita said he would recommend the immediate construction of farm- to-market roads linking the Kabankalan and Buliok areas, provision of adequate drinking water and upgrade of health facilities in the area.

The 54^th Engineering Brigade is now standing by to undertake these projects as soon as provisions are available.

Fifteen barangays of Pikit (out of 42) were affected by the recent conflict.

Affected families of Pikit totaled 6,583 (39,786 individuals). They were accommodated in 16 evacuation centers.

The peace and order in the country is much better than in other countries and is continuously improving, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said.

The President made this remark during a meeting with the alumni of the Philippine College of Commerce High School Class of 1962 wherein she was asked if it is safe to bring their loved ones here in the Philippines.

"Actually, the peace and order in the country is not that bad," the President stressed.

The President noted that there are no sniper incidents in the cities or such thing as the September 11 attack in the country, eliciting concurrence from the crowd.

Most of the alumni who came to see the President are based in the United States and Canada.

The President further noted that a cruise ship from Taiwan carrying hundreds of tourists recently made Manila one of their destinations and no incident occurred.

"It’s fun and it’s peaceful here," the President said.

The President noted that tourism is steadily growing at 16 percent.

The top tourists in the country, the President said, are from Japan, South Korea, and China.

"Filipino balikbayans in the United States only place fourth," the President said.

The President said Japan figured at the top place as there is now a $165 tourism package for the foreign nationals for four days and three nights where they can shop and dine in Makati City with one out-of-town trip. The President said Japanese females, who are very fond of shopping, couldn’t resist the very reasonable package.

She noted that when she went to see the Banaue Rice Terraces last December, she came across Korean school children who were on a school field trip abroad.

She said that according to Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon, the Koreans are even going to Zamboanga City for golfing tours.

The Chief Executive further noted that Malamawi, the home barangay of Abu Sayyaf group spokesperson Abu Sabaya in Basilan, is now free of the bandit group. "Even Basilan is safe now," she said.

• Human Rights and International Humanitarian law (HR/IHL)

• Social and Economic Reforms (SER)

• Political and Constitutional Reforms (PCR)

• End of Hostilities and Disposition of Forces (EOH/DOF)