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13 SEPTEMBER 2003 |
| Palace won't interfere with Senate probe on the Pidal case |
Malacaņang today said that it did not, and will not, interfere in the ongoing Senate inquiry on the allegations aired by opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson against First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo. In a statement, Secretary Gabriel Claudio of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) took exceptions to the claim of Sen. Sergio Osmena that the Palace is pressuring the Senate to stop its investigation of what is now known as the Jose Pidal case. "Senator Sergio Osmena must be fair and forthright. If he claims officials from Malacaņang called him to seek the termination of the Senate hearings on the Pidal case, he should name them," Claudio said. Claudio said that being the President’s legislative adviser and official liaison with Congress, he should be the logical person to get in touch with the senators on matters related to legislations and other official activities. "But the fact is, I never called him," Claudio stressed. In his claim, Osmena said that he and other senators have received phone calls from Palace officials asking them to terminate their investigation and leave the Pidal issue to the courts. According to Claudio, the last time he spoke with Senator Osmena was in the afternoon after Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo testified in the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing. He said it was Osmena who called him over the phone to remind him to facilitate the constitution of the House bicameral panel for the farmland-as-collateral bill. "That was all we talked about and the conversation was very brief," Claudio said. "So, who are the Palace officials he is referring to?" Claudio said that the position of Malacaņang on the Pidal case remains: that it does not and will not interfere. In a separate interview over the radio, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo respects the Senate as an independent body and would not interfere in its proceedings. Bunye said that Malacaņang is leaving to the three Senate investigating committees to decide among themselves on the proper thing to do with its fact-finding probe. Bunye, however, added that before the Senate investigation is completed, it would only be appropriate that Senator Lacson should substantiate his charges with "real hard and strong" evidence and not just Xerox copies of his so-called documentary evidence. |
| President's radio address to the nation |
Magandang araw sa inyong lahat. Nakakalungkot isipin, pero dahil sa sobra at napakaagang pamumulitika ng ilan nating mga kababayan, maraming positibong mga kaganapan ay hindi nabibigyang pansin ng ating mga mamamayan. Kahapon, nagdaos ang napakaraming kababayan natin ng isang malaking panalangin para sa kapayapaan, pagkakaisa at demokrasya. Kahapon din ay namahagi tayo ng mga sertipikadong nagbibigay ng katiyakan ng lupang tinitirikan sa may limang daang pamilyang naninirahan sa lupang pag-aari ng NAIA sa lungsod ng Pasay pagkatapos ng ilang dekadang paghihintay nila, gaya ng ginawa ko nung nakaraang linggo sa Parola sa Tondo. Sa loob ng nakaraang dalawang taon, halos tatlong daang libong pamilyang maralitang taga-lungsod ang nabigyan na ng katiyakan sa lupang tinitirikan – pinakamarami sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas. Nung Huwebes naman binisita ko ang Smokey Mountain kung saan mahigit 2,500 condominium units ang tapos na at hinihintay na lamang matapos ang septic tank bago maokupahan ng mga pamilyang maralitang taga-lungsod. Dinaluhan ko rin nang araw na yon sa Baseco, sa Tondo, ang turn-over ng semento galing sa asosasyon ng cement manufacturers. Sila’y nagbigay ng 10,000 sako ng semento para sa konstruksyon ng drainage systems at septic tanks sa mga maralitang lugar. Nung nakaraang Huwebes, napag-alaman ko na dahil sa suportang ibinigay ng gobyerno sa mga electric cooperatives ay nadagdagan ang mahigit isang libo’t kalahating barangay na mayroong kuryente nitong nakaraang taon. Tungkol sa pagtaas sa presyo ng gasolina,ang pangyayaring higit apatnapung gasolinahan ang nagbibigay ng diskwento sa krudo sa mga pampaseherong jeepney ay isa sa mga pangunahing dahilan kung bakit isinasantabi ng mga bus at jeepney ang kanilang balak na humiling ng pagtaas na pasahe. Patunay rin ang pagtatagumpay ang kampanya laban sa iligal na droga. Sa nakaraang tatlong buwan, nahuli natin ang may 6,000 drug pushers at drug possessors, nabuwag natin ang 60 lokal na sindikato ng droga at apat sa transnational syndicates. Tungkol naman sa economic performance ng pamahalaan, tumaas nung nakaraang buwan ang koleksyon ng buwis, naisaayos ang budget deficit at nagkaroon ng makabuluhang pagtaas ang produksyon ng ating bansa. Fixed rating has assured our government that it would retain stable outlook on our country. Ang sobrang maagang pamumulitika ang nagpapahirap sa mga mamamayan. Ang labis na pamumulitika ay nagtataboy sa mga namumuhunan at humihikayat ng kasamaan at kriminalidad at nakakaantala sa serbisyo publiko. Ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino ang nais mabigyan ng pagkalinga kaya wala akong balak na makihalo sa mga siraang ginagawa ng ilan sa ating mga pulitikong binubulag ng makasariling ambisyon. Ang mga sigalot na ito’y nangyayari kung kailan kailangang magkaisa ang mga namumuno sa bansa upang makamit natin ang tunay na kapayapaan at kaunlaran. Pagtuunan na lamang natin ang pansin ang mga bagay-bagay na pakikinabangan ng mga sambayanan. Matigil na sana ang mga banta sa katiwasayan ng ating pamumuhay upang maibuhos na natin ang ating oras at atensyon sa mga problemang hinaharap ng sambayanan tulad ng kahirapan, krimen at terorismo. |
| Palace appeals for peaceful rally during Bush visit |
Malacaņang today appealed to various groups to conduct peaceful demonstration and avoid violence when US President George W. Bush makes a brief visit here on October 18. On his way to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Bangkok, Bush will make an eight-hour visit to meet President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other officials. While Bush will stay in Manila for eight hours, he will spend only three hours each in Indonesia, Australia and Thailand. Despite the short time, Bush’s visit will have substantial impact on the friendly relations between Manila and Washington, particularly in such areas as global peace, security and development. Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said the Philippine National Police (PNP) would impose strict security measures to prevent possible trouble as a result of violent anti-US rallies. "First of all, protest action must be peaceful. We respect their rights to demonstrate but it would be more appropriate if they can conduct it in a peaceful and orderly manner," Bunye said. Bunye said there is nothing wrong about waving red banners or flags. "They are not restricted to do it. What is not allowed is the use of violence and create chaos, which I hope will not happen." He reiterated the appeal that while the government respects their rights of expression, "let us do it that would not cause trouble, injury or destruction to property." |
| Think about people's welfare, GMA appeals anew to politicians |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today renewed her appeal to politicians, particularly those in the opposition, to think about the welfare of the Filipino people and the country by not engaging in too much politicking. In her radio message this morning, the President said that too much politicking drives away prospective investors, spawns more crimes, and hinders the delivery of basic services to the people. "Ang sobrang maagang pamumulitika ang nagpapahirap sa mga mamamayan (Too much and too early politicking adds to the misery of our people)," the President said. The President said that the ordinary Filipino deserves her full and undivided attention as she bewailed the destructive manner in which some politicians have resorted to because of their selfish desire to grab power. Earlier, the President advised her political detractors to wait for next year’s elections, as provided for in the Constitution, if they want to vie for power and not resort to force. She said that all these unwholesome developments are happening at a time when all the leaders of the country must unite in order to achieve true peace and progress. "Pagtuunan na lamang natin ng pansin ang mga bagay-bagay na pakikinabangan ng mga sambayanan (We should instead put our attention on things that would benefit our people)," the President said. "All these threats of destabilization should be stopped so that we can all work together in pursuing our objectives in the fight against poverty, crime and terrorism," the President said. |
| GMA urges military to win the hearts of the community |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today visited three Luzon provinces to personally find out the problems and extend support to the various programs in the military and in the local government. Motoring to Camp Servillano Aquino in Tarlac City after hearing mass at the Immaculate Conception Church in Rosales, Pangasinan, the President told the soldiers that the success in the fight against insurgency depends not only in military might but more importantly through winning the hearts and minds of the community. "This is a good opportunity to come and visit a very important Command in the center of our fight against insurgency," the President told the officers and men of the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM), led by Lt. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, during lunch at the Camp Aquino clubhouse. The President will also visit Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija on Monday to observe the training program for soldiers on the military’s various approaches on putting an end to insurgency. Gen. Dominguez said they were deeply honored with the President’s unscheduled visit to the camp. "This is not an opportunity to hear our little concerns. We see it as an expression of confidence in us and that she knows that we support her as our Commander-in-chief," Dominguez said. The President said the officers and field workers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) would be involved in organizing livelihood programs in the hinterlands and countryside to help the soldiers win the hearts and minds of the community. On the other hand, the President said the recent grant of four OV-10 aircraft by Thailand would strengthen the fighting capability of the Armed Forces. She told them that she increased the flow of logistics to the field where it is most needed by the soldiers. This include the increase in the amount on single purchases that could be authorized by the AFP Chief-of-Staff from P1.8 million to P5 million and those by the major service commanders from P1.3 million to P3 million. The President said she already instructed the release of P100 million for the acquisition of combat boots, first aid kits, and other field necessities. As monetary incentives were only given to the recipients of the Medal of Valor, she ordered that recipients of other military medals should be granted school and housing benefits. Gen. Dominguez presented the President the first two books of the trilogy, "Trinity of War," that has been adopted by the AFP’s various commands since last year. Gen. Dominguez said the two books featured a study on the military’s experience on how to win the battle against insurgency. He said a special committee is now coming up with the third book of the trilogy. From Camp Aquino, the President proceeded to the nearby Capas town public market and inspected the prices of basic commodities. She found out that the prices of rice, vegetables, dry goods, meat, fish and poultry remain stable. She also visited the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital and inspected the ongoing renovation and improvement of the old and dilapidated regional hospital. She directed the hospital officials to expedite the repairs and further improve their medical and other health services for the indigent patients. |
