PGMA to speak on gains of martial law in Maguindanao
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to speak on the substantial dividends of the martial law declaration in Maguindanao before she leaves for
In a press conference, Presidential Economic Spokesperson Professor Gary Olivar said the President may sum up the accomplishments of the martial law declaration in Maguindanao which restored peace and security in the province. The emergency measure, otherwise known as Proclamation 1959, was lifted over the weekend.
Olivar noted that the gains of the martial law declaration in Maguindanao can be measured in terms of the suspects identified and rounded up, witnesses summoned, charges filed, huge quantities of firearms uncovered, unexplained wealth disclosed, public safety protected, and the normal workings of government restored.
“Beyond quantification is the possibility of another cycle of revenge killings that may have been averted, and of course the palpable restoration of peace of mind to the beleaguered citizens of that province,” he said.
Olivar said the gains from the declaration of martial law are what President Arroyo plans to “describe in greater detail before she leaves for
He added that it is only appropriate for President Arroyo to have her final say on the issue.
The gains from the declaration of martial law, he added, are “incontrovertible” because nobody has seriously questioned their factuality only the manner by which they were achieved.
“On the ground, public support was widespread: the bishops supported it, the folks in Basilan even wanted it for themselves, and when martial law was finally lifted in Maguindanao, there was at least as much apprehension as relief among the public there, now that the military and police can no longer act swiftly as martial law allowed them to do,” he said.
“At least one question comes to my mind, as a non-lawyer like the majority of our people. If the High Court rules against the exercise of martial law that transpired, what will this do to the dividends that were achieved? What will this mean for the arrests that were made, the charges filed, the evidence collected? Will these gains become what is called “poisoned fruit,” the objectionable outcome of a poisoned process? Will we then be required to release the suspects, throw away the evidence, even drop the charges?” he said.
Olivar then turned the tables on government critics by asking them if they can suggest a contingency plan to ensure that justice will given to the victims of the gruesome massacre that left 57 people dead including women and journalists.
“If there is no such plan, on what grounds then do these inquisitionists justify putting at risk the rendering of justice of the victims of the massacre, their families, and the communities of Maguindanao?” he asked.
Olivar said that he is looking forward to get thoughtful and responsible answers from the critics to questions like the ones he raised.
“Otherwise, we shall end up being treated to just another episode in the long and endless trial by publicity of this President,” he added.
PGMA to play active role in
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will play an active role and will be highly visible in the climate change negotiations to be held this week in
In a press conference, Presidential Spokesperson on Economic Affairs Professor Gary Olivar said President Arroyo will attend the 15th Conference of Parties (COP-15) in
Olivar said the first track of negotiations will take place in the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-Term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) with
The second track negotiations Olivar said, will take place in the Ad Hoc working Group on Further Commitments under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) chaired by Antigua and Barbuda. It will discuss the future commitments of developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol.
Olivar noted that out of the five climate change threats that were identified such as drought, food, storm, rising sea level and agriculture, the Philippines is on top of the list for the storm threat following the disasters brought by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in the country.
He said that based on the report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other scientific studies, various effects of climate change to the Philippines include the increase in sea levels in the country that could affect the living conditions in 64 of the nation’s 81 provinces.
“President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in her speech in the Asian Development Bank (ADB) last June 18 termed it as follows: “As a nation made up of over 7,000 islands, rising seas due to global warming takes on a whole new meaning.
Olivar cited the Oxfam International report which stated that agricultural yields in the country are forecast to drop by about 10 percent for every one degree rise in temperature.
The other effects of climate change to the Philippines, Olivar added, include that in view of warmer sea surface temperatures, stronger typhoons and cyclones are being seen all over the world.
The country’s high diversity of species is also specifically vulnerable as even a slight change in temperature could cause the disappearance of many species. The country’s coral reefs, home to algae and hundreds of species of fish, are under the immediate threat from a warming of ocean temperature.
Olivar said that after the climate change meeting, President Arroyo is expected to meet with the approximately 8,000 Filipinos living and working in
Press Secretary Cerge M. Remonde and Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change Secretary Heherson Alvarez are expected to accompany the President in the conference.
PGMA decided to lift martial law in Maguindanao after achievement of its objectives -- Remonde
Malacanang reiterated on Monday that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo decided to lift martial law in Maguindanao province after the objectives of Proclamation 1959 were achieved.
In a television interview, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the President approved the recommendation of the National Security Council (NSC) last Saturday to lift martial law in the province due to the achievement of the goals for its declaration.
Remonde also stressed that Malacanang was ready to defend before the Supreme Court and Congress the President’s decision to declare martial law in Maguindanao under Proclamation 1959 she issued last December 4.
He cited that among the gains of the martial law declaration were the arrest of several suspects in the November 23 Maguindanao massacre and the filing of charges against them in court, the restoration of local government and judicial operations as well as peace and order in the province.
Remonde said that after the NSC reported these achievements to the President during the meeting last Saturday, Mrs. Arroyo ordered the lifting of the implementation of martial law in Maguindanao effective at 9 p.m. Saturday.
The Palace official also clarified that the President did not decide to lift the martial law proclamation because of fear of the possibility of Congress or the Supreme Court ruling against its imposition in the province.
”We have the numbers in Congress. We decided to lift martial law in Maguindanao due to the achievement of our goals for its declaration. We respect the suspicions of our critics but we will continue to do what we believe is right,” Remonde stressed.
The Press Secretary added that the declaration of a state of emergency remains in Maguindanao along with Sultan Kudarat and
At the same time, Remonde said that the manhunt operations for the remaining suspects in the November 23 Maguindanao massacre continue despite the lifting of martial law in the province.
Devanadera: Successful implementation of ML in Maguindanao hailed
Acting Justice Secretary and concurrent Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera on Monday said that a good number of Filipinos jubilate with the successful implementation of Martial Law in Maguindanao.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Proclamation No. 1959 on Dec. 4, declaring martial law in Maguindanao to quell the brewing rebellion in the province, especially in the towns controlled by the Ampatuan family.
However, President Arroyo lifted the Martial Law in Maguindanao on Dec. 12, or exactly eight days later after government authorities reported that the objectives for which Martial Law was declared were accomplished.
"That's the problem with us, we are very much focused on the debates, instead of looking for solution for the problem in
The DOJ Chief was referring to the joint session of the 14th Congress that is now in the middle of debates whether or not martial law in Maguindanao should be revoked.
"Instead of having ourselves busy with our respective work, we are in the joint session of Congress to debate," Devanadera pointed out.
Aside from Devanadera, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Victor Ibrado and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Versoza, among others, have been busy answering questions from the lawmakers on the implementation of Proclamation 1959 in Maguindanao in the joint session of Congress since last week.
"The soldiers and the police are hampered, because their chiefs are there in the session (Congress), instead of doing their primary job of maintenance of peace and order," Devanadera lamented.
The joint session is set to resume on Monday afternoon. However, the joint session debate has been rendered moot and academic the lifting of martial law in Maguindanao last Saturday.
PSALM turns over Calaca power plant to DMCIHI
The privatization of the 600-megawatt (MW) Batangas Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant was formally closed Thursday, 03 December 2009, through a simple ceremonial turnover conducted by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation.
Before the ceremony held at its
The power plant will be operated by Sem-Calaca Power Corp., a new company recently established by Semirara Mining Corp., the coal mining arm of DMCIHI.
PSALM President and Chief Executive Officer
“By the closing of Calaca, we effectively breached the 70% requirement under the EPIRA (Electric Power Industry Reform Act) for the generation side,” he said. “So we now have to work on the IPP (Independent power producer) side. We can achieve open access, one year after we do that.”
The sale of the Calaca plant also substantially contributed to sustaining PSALM’s privatization program this year, which is currently at the 81.3% mark for all its generating assets in the
Mr. Ibazeta congratulated DMCIHI’s entry in the electricity sector, saying that it “certainly bolsters the confidence of the private sector in the future of the power industry.”
DMCIHI President Isidro Consunji, who praised PSALM for a fair and transparent bidding process, took pride in saying that the “Calaca [power plant], as of today, will be the only coal-fired power plant in Luzon that is owned and operated by Filipinos.”
“We believe that Calaca employees, who are all Filipino, are very well equipped and very much capable to make Calaca a world-class coal-fired power plant,” he said.
Saying that DMCIHI will be a vital player in the electricity industry, National Power Corporation President
Mr. Tampinco said National Power would continue to support the government’s power privatization program.
Palace welcomes Sison removal in terrorist list
Malacanang welcomed on Monday the reported removal of Jose Ma. Sison from the terrorist blacklist by the Council of the European Union.
In a media briefing this afternoon in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesperson on Economic Affairs Gary Olivar said this is welcome news particularly if the development would lead to the resumption of the peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Olivar said this new development is a positive factor on the resumption of the talks with the left hopefully before the end of the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
With peace a top priority of her administration, the president has called for everybody’s cooperation in a bid to forge a final peace negotiation with the left and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and sustain the gains in her peace and development efforts.
Olivar said the relaxation of restrictions on Sison could expedite the resumption of negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF.
“Hopefully this will lead to good things as far as the peace process with them. This is really what we are concerned about here in the
The resumption of peace talks between the government and the NDF was supposed to be held in
“We are hopeful that Mr. Sison given this latest improvement in his circumstances abroad will now be in a better position to assist in facilitating the peace process between the CPP-NPA-NDF on one hand and the Philippine government on the other. That is our fervent hope,” Olivar said.
