|
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Gov't set to improve capability of military, police v. rebels
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday said she is due to sign an executive order this week that will improve the ability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the PNP in ending the 37-year-old insurgency problem in the country.
In a speech delivered during the assumption of Director General Oscar Calderon as PNP chief, the President said the National Security Council (NSC) is drafting the executive order for her signature.
Calderon took over the helm of the 120,000-strong PNP from Director General Arturo Lomibao.
"A corresponding consolidation within the PNP and with other institutions will improve implementation capability. This consolidation will revolve around several areas including strategic battle with the Left," said Arroyo.
"The NSC is already overseeing this consolidating through a series of draft executive orders, one of which is already being finalized and probably will be signed by me this week," she said.
The NSC is chaired by the President and includes the PNP chief, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and former President Fidel Ramos as members, among others. Puno and Ramos were among those present in the turnover rites.
Arroyo said the executive order is meant to "create a PNP-AFP partnership in the battle against the Left."
Arroyo had ordered the release of P1 billion to the AFP and PNP to fight communist rebels.
The President said she is confident that Calderon has the experience in the execution of the executive order "as we run to the ground, the armed core of the terrorist Left", referring to the New People's Army (NPA).
Arroyo said the government will remove the fear the rebels have inflicted on the people.
The President emphasized the government's intention of ending revolutionary taxation on the private sector. About a week ago, the President said a number of businessmen have complained to her about the rebels' extortion activities.
Meanwhile, Armed Forces Chief Generoso Senga said the military and the police establishments are eyeing "a more vigorous cooperation" to defeat the communist insurgency, particularly in the field of combat operations, intelligence information gathering and training.
Senga said military and police officials have attended earlier meetings to discuss the possibility of giving the PNP a bigger role in the counter-insurgency role. The military is the lead agency tasked to fight the rebels.
He also said the President's upcoming executive order is a "welcome development" noting that the PNP has expressed its "willingness" to contribute their skills to the renewed fight against the 37-year-old insurgency.
Senga said the PNP's "grassroots connections" could be shared with the military in addressing the insurgency.
"We are seeing that they (PNP) have formidable combat forces that can be employed in areas that are not covered by Armed Forces units," said Senga, referring to the PNP's elite unit Special Action Force.
"At the same time, in areas where there are policemen and there is presence of Armed Forces (elements), we are going to conduct joint operations," Senga also said.
Senga said the PNP will also help the military in the legal offensive, particularly in the gathering of evidence against the insurgents. He said the PNP has the expertise in evidence gathering.
"They will share their expertise to our operating units by means of training. We will request them to train our operating units in terms of evidence gathering, preservation of crime scenes. This is going to be a big boost to our counter-insurgency campaign," said Senga.
Meanwhile, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Joel Virador urged Calderon to veer away from his Lomibao's policy on government critics.
Virador said Calderon should break from the police's practice of violent dispersals and warrantless arrests.
"Calderon has many things to confront as police chief. Foremost among them is to solve the killings of civilian dissenters, ending violent dispersals of anti-government rallies and ridding the PNP of personnel who are ignorant of the country's laws," he said.
Virador said Calderon should make the PNP respect human rights. (VR/DBP/Sunnex)
(July 6, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
