Thank you.

Today, we are holding this meeting between the information and security officials of the government and the representatives of media to review our efforts to prosecute and prevent journalist killings.

First of all, let me once again deplore the killings of journalists. We have a sorry history in our nation for political violence. We aim to break this cycle of violence once and for all.

I happen to believe that 99 percent of our military and policemen and women are good, upstanding and loyal patriots fighting to protect our country everyday. But if rogue members of the military or police are involved, we have all agreed that they shall be punished.

Former Justice Melo has provided his initial report. We have made it public. We are in the process of following his recommendations. This includes: special courts, stronger witness protection measures, more money for prosecutors, and investigations of left and right to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice. As we have made tough choices to turn around our economy, we will also get a handle on these killings to end them once and for all.

Today, let us join hands in mutual trust and common purpose so that all the violence will be stopped. We will have two parts to this meeting. I will leave you first for half an hour. Of course, you may start your lunch. And then so that you can have some brainstorming or something candid that you might want to say to one another. And then I’ll be back at about 1:00 o’clock so that then, probably you could give me a consensus of what you have agreed on in the first half hour and then we can move on from there, if that’s alright with you.

So, I’d like to thank you once again until I see you in about half an hour’s time. Please enjoy your lunch in the meantime.

STA. ROSA CITY, Laguna – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lauded today Ford Motor Company for choosing the Philippines over other countries and competing Ford plants worldwide as the production base of its pioneering Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV).

The President cited Ford’s choice of the Philippines during the kickoff production of Ford Philippines’ P1.1 billion, world-class FFV engine plant at the company’s Greenfield Automotive Park here this morning.

Ford is the first company to produce FFV engines in Southeast Asia, highlighting the Philippines’ role as Ford’s Center of Excellence in FFV technology in the region.

The President attributed Ford’s decision to make the Philippine the hub of its FFV engine production to the favorable business climate in the country and the "productivity and competitiveness of the Philippines and the competitiveness of our great Filipino workers."

Ford plants in Spain, Mexico and China had vied for the right to put up the FFV engine production plant.

The President acknowledged Ford’s support for the government’s program to develop environment-friendly fuels and the new plant reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the Philippines. In return for Ford’s support, "you have the support of the government," she added.

She said that the new Ford investment comes at a time when the Philippines does not only have a "great work force but now we have the means to maintain our competitiveness and even enhance it by investing even more in human and physical infrastructure."

The President likewise cited the thousands of Ford’s Filipino workforce for their outstanding skill and talent that Ford needs to produce quality and world-class automobiles.

"I would like to add my piece of congratulation, first and foremost, to the wonderful workforce of Ford Philippines. You are the reason why this plant is here today," she said.

Ford, the President said, requires "state-of-the art engineering technology. We have already started a P200 million scholarship program for master’s in science and engineering and I hope some of you will benefit from that."

Contrary to common belief, the Philippines is not merely an "assembly industry . . . we also produce major components, the most major of which is the engine produced by Ford," the President said.

Aside from engines, Ford and other assembly plants also produce transmission system, wiring harness and hundreds of other automotive parts.

"So, we are a genuine automotive industry," she added.

Ford’s Sta. Rosa plant will manufacture E20 FFV engines to be used in the Ford Focus 1.8L and 2.0L models. The FFV engines, which are capable of running on traditional gasoline only, or a mix that contains up to 20 percent bio-ethanol fuel, will be exported to South Africa.

Joining the President in the plant's ceremonial launch were Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes and the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission to the Philippines Rick Haynes, who underscored the plant's significance to the Philippines and the ongoing collaboration between Ford and the Philippine government.

Also present were Laguna Gov. Teresita Lazaro, Sta. Rosa City Mayor-elect Arlene Arcilla-Nazareno and Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Lilia de Lima.

Favila said the government applauds Ford's role in helping encourage investment in the local agro-industrial sector to produce and distribute alternative fuels.

He said Ford is a leading advocate of the biofuels industry to lessen the country’s dependence on imported oil.

"This investment also points to Ford's recognition of the Philippines as a globally competitive manufacturing base and strategic location to successfully expand its worldwide export program," Favila said.

Ford Philippines FFV engine production over the next five years is expected to reach 105,000 units valued at P6.5 billion (US$136 million). About 100 skilled technical and support positions will be filled exclusively by Filipinos.

"Ford appreciates the ongoing support of the Philippine government, and we're proud of our collaborative work to lead the Philippines' automotive industry in developing the country's biofuels industry and implementation and use of alternative fuels," Rick Baker, president of Ford Philippines, said in his welcome address.

The top level meeting held this noon presided by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and attended by top officials of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and representatives of media organizations should send a strong and clear signal that perpetrators of media killings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

During the meeting held at Malacaņang’s Aguinaldo State Dining Room, President Arroyo promised that "if rogue members of the military or police are involved" in such killings, "they shall be punished."

"Former Justice (Jose) Melo has provided his initial report. We have made it public. We are in the process of following his recommendations," the President said in her opening statement.

Among the recommendations of the Melo Commission which the President mentioned are "special courts, a stronger witness protection program, more money for prosecutors and investigation of the Left and the Right to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice."

"As we have made tough choices to turn around our economy, we will also get a handle on these killings to end them once and for all," the President committed.

The President added, thus: "Today, let us join hands in mutual trust and common purpose so that all the violence will be stopped."

The President then left the Aguinaldo State Dining Room for half an hour to give the invited guests and the government and military officials present the opportunity to share their "candid" opinions on the matter.

In his opening prayer for the dialogue/consultation, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye offered to the victims’ families the administration’s "firm intention" to help solve the media killings, stressing that there is nothing more sad than the gift of life cut short by a bullet.

He stressed that he looked forward to a "frank and good exchange" among the participants to the dialogue.

Aside from President Arroyo and Bunye, the government side was represented by, among others, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon, Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Calderon, Press Undersecretaries Robert Rivera and Isabel de Leon, and Philippine Information Agency Head Dodie Limcaoco.

Among others, the media leaders present were Butch Canoy, president of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP); Paolo Romero and Mia Gonzales, president and vice president of the Malacanang Press Corps, respectively; Tony Lopez, president of the Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC); Emil Jurado, also of the MOPC; Nilo Marasigan and Alvin Baltazar, president and chair of the PNP Press Corps, respectively; Verlin Ruiz, president of the Defense Press Corps; Manny Mogato, Burd Wang, and Gabby Tabunar, all of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines; and Roy Mabasa, president of the National Press Club of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, in his weekly press briefing with the Malacanang Press Corps yesterday, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced that on June 18, some 12 human rights experts from the European Union (EU) shall come over to the Philippines upon the invitation of the Arroyo administration via the Department of Foreign Affairs to help solve "these unexplained killings."

"We will see how the European Union experts can help us. And among the things that I am very sure of, they will be looking at the wherewithals for the Philippine government authorities to be able to address effectively extrajudicial killings, or unexplained killings so that we can put a stop to these."

Ermita added that the visiting experts from the EU countries could also help "improve our systems -- system of arrest, identification, arrest, charges, prosecution and the entire gamut of the criminal justice system -- so that we can address effectively this issue of extrajudicial killings."

The Executive Secretary also revealed that "at the moment, the Task Force Usig and the Melo Commission continue with their inquiries."

Malacaņang assured today that utmost assistance would be extended to the family of the Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who was beheaded in Saudi Arabia yesterday for killing a Pakistani taxi driver in May 2002.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said in a radio interview this morning the government, led by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), would do its utmost effort in extending assistance to the family of the late migrant worker Reynaldo Cortez.

Ermita said the DFA would try to fast-track the recovery of the remains of Cortez and bring it home to the Philippines.

"Gagawan ng paraan ng ating DFA na kaagad ay ma-recover ang bangkay at maiuwi dito sa Pilipinas," he said.

Ermita noted that Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos is well-versed on these particular cases, noting the DFA is observing standard operating procedures (SOP) in dealing on such cases.

"Siguro dapat lang na mapaalalahanan natin at malaman natin sa DFA kung ano ba ang mga hakbang na ginawa at sana ito ay mabigyan man lang ng kaunting kaginhawaan para sa kanilang pamilya. Pero para hindi ito maulit ay sisiguruhin natin na mabigyan ng atensiyon iyong mga ibang nandoon pa," he said.

The 41-year-old Cortez, who worked as a welder at the Al-Allah Car Workshop in Riyadh’s Sinaya District, was beheaded on June 13 after he was sentenced to death on May 30, 2005 by the Riyadh Grand Court for killing a Pakistani driver and seriously wounding another.