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Thursday, March 06, 2003
Arroyo flies to Davao, cancels Palace sked
PRESIDENT Arroyo canceled her Wednesday morning schedules in order to visit Davao City and personally see the damage caused by the bombing near the Davao Airport Terminal as well as the rehabilitation efforts being conducted.
Arroyo was supposed to meet Vice Admiral Victorino Hingco, Navy chief who is retiring on Thursday, and to speak before the Southeast Asian education ministers.
She was accompanied in her tour of Davao City by Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, Interior Secretary Jose Lina Jr., PNP chief Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., PNP Task Force Mindanao head Edgardo Aglipay, and Davao City officials led by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
The President was still wearing sunglasses, because of an eye irritation that she got during a weekend trip to Palawan, and a checkered long-sleeved polo.
Arroyo inspected the waiting shed where some 134 persons were either killed or injured by the blast caused by a bomb hidden in a backpack. She looked at the canopy of the waiting shed which was wrecked by the blast. She and other officials offered flowers and prayers and lighted candles in the site.
Then she visited a funeral home where she condoled with the relatives of the victims and gave them P50,000 each. The city shouldered the hospital, funeral and other expenses of those affected by the blast, the death toll of which has reached 23, according to government radio.
She also went to the Davao Medical Center and looked on the nine persons who were confined at the intensive care unit.
Before departing for Pikit, North Cotabato, Arroyo told a press conference at the Davao International Airport that she has ordered Duterte, the "crisis manager", to "immediately identify and arrest the masterminds, conspirators, accessories, accomplices and all those who have anything to do with this criminal act."
For the entire Mindanao, she said she has ordered the immediate operationalization of the command center composed of the DILG/PNP, DND/AFP "with the military taking the lead in the suppression of lawless violence and lawless elements in Mindanao."
"I declare here and now that justice will be done," she added.
She also asked Duterte to immediately convene the Regional Peace and Order Councils of Southeastern and Central Mindanao to alert the entire region and undertake appropriate measures to meet any contingency.
"Since Wednesday, I told Rudy (Duterte) that he has to start doing arrests last night and the intelligent operatives have been put already at work," she said.
Duterte said nine persons have been arrested and are being interrogated "on the basis of probable cause" but he refused to reveal their identities.
He said the bombings in Mindanao are the handiwork of one terror group. He said he and other officials thought the blasts were done out of rebellion (but) "we realize now that it has degenerated into terrorism, criminal acts and we'll respond to it as a common crime."
"I think they are one group, almost the same, similar crimes, similar modus operandi...We thought all the while that it was plain rebellion. Apparently terrorist acts are being imposed on the residents of Mindanao," he said.
"Today, there are ongoing military and punitive actions against the criminals. Tomorrow, we will continue until justice is done for everybody," he added.
Duterte said the bombing in Davao City has changed his negative views about the presence of American troops in the Philippines. "Apparently things have changed considerably and with this event we leave it to the higher authorities to decide. I would welcome any aid from anybody to put an end to terrorism not only in the Philippines..."
Reports said US President George W. Bush has expressed regret over the Davao City bombing and has offered assistance.
Arroyo said: "We welcome their assistance. They've always said that they will help us in any way we want them to help us. And I have said as a matter of policy (that I) have drawn the line at ground combat where I want our soldiers to do the fighting and not their soldiers. We have drawn the lines there from the very beginning from 2001 from the APEC summit of 2001 when I first talked to President Bush about this and my (mind) hasn't changed."
She said Duterte and the command center will "spell out operationally what kind of assistance they would ask."
On reports that a splinter group of the Abu Sayyaf has owned up to the bombing, Duterte said it is time that government "really takes hard stand against them and this time we will do it."
But Lina and Reyes were still skeptical, saying the report still has to be processed and could be part of a "diversionary tactic."
Asked whether the bombing would affect the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Arroyo said: "There is always the hand of peace open for those who renounce violence but for those who continue to use violence as the means to carry out their messages, then there is also the long arm of the law."
Dureza said Mindanao, particularly Davao City, has to move on and not let the "tragic incident" "cow us from proceeding and then from pushing for Mindanao development."
Aglipay said authorities are still looking at whether the city should be placed under a state of emergency, saying there is no need yet to make such a recommendation.
Ebdane said the bombing is clearly "a terrorist act" and the PNP is coordinating with the military "because there may be some follow up operations that might necessitate follow up action."
"If you look at the death rate and (number of) wounded we can consider it as a very grave incident that necessitates special attention by government...This is considered an emergency case which has to be attended to by all sectors," he said.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye, in a statement, called on the public to stay calm but be vigilant, saying "we cannot show these terrorists that we cannot be cowed into fear."
"The government is on top of the situation. All concerned government agencies have been deployed to get the culprits and to thwart similar incidents anywhere in the country. Mayor Duterte has been designated crisis manager and the people of Davao City can count on the full backing of the national government in resolving this crisis," Bunye said.
"The enemy has hurled its worst challenge. We shall respond resolutely and comprehensively. Commercial traffic in the Davao airport shall be restored immediately. Normalcy must be pursued even as we share condolences over the departed and care for the wounded," he added.
Buliok visit
From Davao City, Arroyo flew to the Buliok complex in Pikit, North Cotabato to inspect the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts in the area following a firefight between government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces.
Dureza, said Arroyo visited evacuation centers, filled mostly with women and children, and was given a briefing on efforts to bring relief and return the evacuees to their homes.
Dureza said Arroyo also inspected road and building constructions in the site and expressed great interest in developing the Liguasan Marsh area.
North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol said some P5 million in funds would be poured into the conversion of the Buliok complex. He said the money would be used to buy farm inputs and equipment for the farmers in the area which would be converted into corn and banana plantations.
He said the provincial government has identified 3,500 farmers, mostly relatives of MILF fighters, to work on the farmlands. Under the scheme, government will procure hybrid seeds to be distributed by the agriculture department. The farmers will work together for a take-home pay of P100 per day.
"It (Buliok complex) will become a model farming community in Cotabato province and the rebels would realize it would be better to be armed with plows and agricultural equipment than carrying firearms," he said.
(March 6, 2003 issue)
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