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Thursday, December 04, 2003
Chinoys assure Arroyo there will be no civil disobedience
* Arroyo meets with Chinoy community to reassure them gov't is acting vs kidnappings
THE Marines are back.
This was announced Wednesday by National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (Naktaf) chief Angelo Reyes after President Arroyo met with representatives of the Filipino-Chinese community in Malacaņang to assure them that the government is exerting efforts to curb kidnapping and other criminal activities in the country.
Reyes said the government would again be tapping military forces to augment policemen patrolling the streets of Metro Manila, particularly in crime-prone areas. Members of the Marines were deployed in Metro Manila in 2000 following terrorist threats and bombing incidents in the country.
Reyes said this was among the measures that the President discussed with Robin Sy and Francis Chua, president and officer of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industries Inc. (FFCCCII), respectively, and with Teresita Ang-See of the Citizens Action Against Crime (CAAC). PNP Chief Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. was also present in the meeting.
He said Arroyo met with the group after receiving reports that some members of the Filipino-Chinese community are threatening to leave the country, pull out their investments, boycott classes and initiate civil disobedience if the government continues to fail to stop kidnapping and other criminal activities.
Education Sec. Edilberto De Jesus said they prevailed on the Chinese-Filipino community to forego plans to boycott classes, adding that they may opt to have an early Christmas break as long as the schools meet the minimum number of required school days for the school year.
Reyes said the Naktaf would meet with Metro Manila mayors Thursday to seek their cooperation and discuss implementing guidelines on the establishment of more checkpoints and outposts.
Michael Defensor, Presidential spokesman for political affairs, said they fully understand the concerns of the Filipino-Chinese sector as they are often victimized by kidnapping groups but they should also help the government strengthen its campaign.
A two-year-old boy was abducted in Muntilupa Monday or a week after another girl was kidnapped in Manila, which followed the kidnap-murder of a Filipina-Chinese executive of a bottling company. SCT
(December 4, 2003 issue)
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