PROVINCIAL CAPITOL, MARAWI City—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called on Muslim Filipinos to lend an active hand in the government’s overall efforts to rid the country of the social menace called illegal drugs.

The President – before a briefing with national, provincial and local officials of Lanao del Sur and Marawi City – said the campaign against illegal drugs should not be divided by ethnic and religious sentiments.

"This is non-partisan," she said, "and we should meet the (drug menace head-on."

The President noted the growing threats on national stability and security being sown terrorist groups that in the recent past have connived with crime syndicates, including drug groups.

She said she would like "to bring home the message" to brother Muslims that the fight against drug is "much as your own as it is the nation’s."

She urged Muslim communities to "extend their vigilance" against terrorists and criminal drug syndicates in their areas.

The President arrived here a t about 9:40 a.m. she landed at the 401^st Brigade Headquarters a stone’s throw away from the provincial capitol at Barangay Buadi-Sacayo here.

She came from the Awang Airport in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao aboard a Bell helicopter.

Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong, Sr. personally led provincial officials and most of the province’s 39 mayors in meeting the President upon her arrival at the capitol grounds.

The President was met with ethnic music from a kulintang and gong ensemble as provincial employees and students in colorful malong dresses cheered her.

MARAWI CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today gave the people of Lanao del Sur at least three gifts aimed to make their lives better and more productive in the nearest future, as she cited them for making their place progressive and peaceful.

In a short message before Lanao del Sur officials, employees, students and socio-civic club representatives at the Provincial Capitol in Barangay Buadi-Sacayo here, the President congratulated everyone in advance for the celebration of the province’s 44th foundation anniversary on July 5.

She announced that on the same day, government officials would lead ground-breaking rites for the Rugnan-Malaig irrigation system project, signaling a windfall of benefits that would spell productivity and profitability for thousands of farmers and agricultural workers.

She also called on energy officials to look into how the whole of Lanao del Sur could be lighted and be given electric power, which aids in pushing socio-economic growth.

She further disclosed that the government, in its bid to do away with armed conflict, is pushing for the resumption of peace talks with those who wish the republic and the Filipinos harm by using force and committing atrocities against innocent civilians.

"We are now moving in a calibrated way towards peace talks," she said, adding that "we will continue to stabilize the situation on the ground, return the evacuees home and move toward substantive negotiations."

But "we need everybody’s vigilance and support. The fight against terrorism and enforcement of the law in all places shall be undiminished," she said.

The President told a huge crowd – to include women and young ladies in native malong costumes -- that the same support and vigilance should also be displayed in the overall campaign against illegal drugs.

In the same talk, she introduced the Cabinet members who came with her here, among them Local Government Secretary Jose Lina, Jr., Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman, Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo, and Press Secretary Milton Alingod.

She said the Cabinet members were with her to lend their help in continuing peace and development initiatives in Lanao del Sur and in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

She also commended Governor Mamintal Adiong, Sr. for steering the province and its people towards a bright future.

MARAWI CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called on Lanao del Sur’s national and local legislators to pool their resources and help build drug rehabilitation centers for victims of the illegal drugs trade.

In a visit to the Amai Pakpak Medical Center here, the President hinted that she was willing to draw some funds to help build new a drug rehabilitation center at the back of the hospital.

She said an abandoned skeletal edifice intended for a rehabilitation center in a corner of the hospital should also be completed but would be used to accommodate hospital patients.

In informal talks with hospital chief Dr. Amer Saber, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Parouk Hussin, Lanao del Sur Rep. Benasing Macarambon, and other national and local officials, she received the three leaders’ commitment for sourcing funds.

Rough estimates showed that some P8 million to P9 million are needed to complete the nearly abandoned building. A new rehabilitation center would cost similarly.

The abandoned skeleton of solid cement pillars was supposed to have been built into a three-story drug rehabilitation center.

Meanwhile, Hussin informed the President that regional officials were working on revitalizing an already existing rehabilitation center in the autonomous region.

The President’s surprise visit to the hospital came after she received a closed-door briefing on the campaign against illegal drugs, particularly in Mindanao.

MARAWI CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said that the government is moving "in a calibrated way" in the peace process with the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

In her remarks at the command conference here, the President said the government will continue to stabilize the situation in the ground, return the evacuees to their homes, and move towards substantive negotiations.

But the President also said that "enforcement of the law in all places shall be undiminished."

This was also the same message that the President brought to displaced residents of war-torn villages of Pikit, North Cotabato that she visited yesterday.

She also visited Davao Oriental and Davao del Norte before flying to Pikit.

The President flew here today to join in the week-long celebration of Lanao del Sur’s 44^th foundation anniversary that started June 28 and ends on July 5.

She also called on all Mindanaoans to continue to be vigilant and asked them to support all government programs not only in the fight against terrorism but also in the renewed war against drug abuse and other forms of lawlessness.

The President said that the fight against terrorism and enforcement of the law in all places will be pursued without letup.

Malacañang announced today the appointment of three Regional Trial Court judges, an Undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and an assistant chief state counsel as Associate Justices of the Court of Appeals.

In a regular news briefing in Malacañang this afternoon, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said the five new Associate Justices of the Appellate Court appointed by the President were Judges Jose C. Mendoza, Jose C. Reyes, Jr. and Arsenio Magpale; Undersecretary Arturo D. Brion and Rosalinda Asuncion Vicente.

Bunye said the appointment papers of the new Associate Justices were signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on June 26, 2003 but were released only yesterday (July 1, 2003).

Prior to his new appointment, Mendoza was a judge in Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 219 from 1994 to the present and was previously an RTC judge of Sta. Cruz, Laguna (1989-1994) and served in the Supreme Court from 1985 to 1989.

Reyes was a presiding judge of RTC Branch 76 of San Mateo, Rizal from 1991 up to the present and was formerly judge of Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 69 of Pasig City from 1987-1991 and Attorney III of the Legal Research Department of the Supreme Court from 1985 to 1987.

Magpale was also a presiding judge of Quezon City RTC Branch 225 from August 9, 1995 up to the present, and was acting presiding judge of Makati City RTC from June 25, 1993 to August 8, 1995 and presiding judge of the RTC in Dumaguete City from January 31, 1990 to June 24, 1993.

Before his new appointment, Brion was undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and former deputy minister of labor for legal and legislative affairs during the time when Foreign Affair Secretary Blas F. Ople was minister of labor. He was also a member of the Batasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986 and topped the 1974 Bar Examinations.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today directed the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to acquire 20 additional helicopters to augment its existing inventory and strengthen its mission of safeguarding and shielding the nation.

During the 56^th anniversary of the PAF at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City, the President acknowledged the Air Force’s various achievements as she tasked the modernization board to expedite the bidding for the 20 helicopters within one month.

PAF chief Lt. Gen. Nestor Santillan reported to the President the various achievements of the AFP, including the apprehension of Abdulmukim Edris, head of the Abu Sayyaf’s Urban Special Operations and Explosives Team; four other key ASG leaders; and a significant number of undesirable aliens and suspected foreign terrorists.

The President said the arrest of Edris, who trained under the al-Qaida, preempted the planned bombing of the American Embassy and other business establishments.

"Maging si President Bush ay tumawag upang batiin tayo sa nagawa ninyo. Kaya nararapat lamang na bigyan kayo ng dagdag na aircraft (Even President Bush personally called up to congratulate you. So it is just right to provide you with additional aircraft)," she said.

During her recent trip to Washington, the President also said that US President George W. Bush included in their joint communiqué the provision of 30 additional helicopters for the PAF.

Gen. Santillan said the government of Thailand, upon the recommendation of the Royal Thai Air Force, recently committed to donate 10 OV-10 light bombers to the country as goodwill gifts.

"And I wish to offer our appreciation today to Thai Ambassador Busba Bunnag," he said.

After the inspection of troops and the traditional pass-in-review, the President, assisted by Santillan, poured champagne on four newly- renovated aircraft. The PAF-restored aircraft were a UH-1H helicopter, SF-260 TP light attack plane, N-22 Nomad plane, and a Hercules C-130 transport plane.

Among the guests during the affair were Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Narciso Abaya, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane, Press Secretary Milton Alingod, and retired military officers.

During the affair, the President and Santillan also awarded medals and awards to several enlisted and civilian personnel of the PAF.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said the government would step up legal actions against all personalities of the National Democratic Front (NDF), the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), and the New People’s Army (NPA), who, she said, are ostensibly engaged in democratic struggle but clandestinely leading and abetting the overthrow of government by force and violence.

"I am directing our military and civilian intelligence agencies to further document and expose the web of deception spun by the NDF, the CPP, and the NPA, their engagement in terrorist acts and their links with terrorist organizations," the President said during the 56^th anniversary of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

The President said the government would bring evidence before the courts, as well as the proper international venues to further curtail the movement of any NDF, CPP, and NPA leaders, funds, and materials.

She also directed the government peace panel in prospective peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to take up the matter of reported tactical alliances within the MILF and the NPA to put a stop to it.