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Thursday, June 12, 2003
New terror threats seen as MILF truce ends
GENERAL SANTOS -- As the unilateral ceasefire declared by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) expires Thursday, President Arroyo on Wednesday told government, police, and military authorities to prepare for a possible wave of terror attacks from the Moro rebel group.
"We may face a fresh wave of terrorist threats," Arroyo said in a speech she delivered in the graduation ceremonies of a village watchman's training course here.
Arroyo also called on all Filipinos, regardless of race, creed, or religion to help her steer the country towards peace and away from conflict.
The MILF declared a ten-day truce in an effort to give the peace negotiations, which has been in limbo, a chance to resume.
The government, however, viewed the MILF's truce declaration as a trick to buy it more time to regroup and prepare for a large offensive.
Clashes have been reported during the ceasefire, proof that the MILF "cannot discipline their own forces in the field," Arroyo's spokesman Ignacio Bunye said.
The ceasefire ended midnight Wednesday.
An Agence France Presse (AFP) report quoting MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said that the group might extend the ceasefire after they were requested to do so by the office of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad.
Malaysia has been brokering on-again, off-again peace talks of the Philippine government and the MILF, the latest of which was the exploratory talks held in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year.
The talks, however, bogged down after Arroyo ordered an assault on MILF positions last month after a series of bombings and attacks were blamed on the Moro rebel group.
Despite agreeing to resume the peace talks without any pre-conditions, Arroyo said that the military would still continue to carry out selective punitive actions against members of the MILF who were involved in the terror attacks in various parts of Mindanao that left 100 people dead since March.
"We shall not be threatened or intimidated," Arroyo said.
Arroyo is in Mindanao for a seven-city, eight-day tour.
Arroyo on Wednesday inaugurated the newly finished Upper Mainit-San Roque Bridge in Malungon. The bridge is part of the 107 bridges her administration pledged under the Austrian-assisted President's Bridge Program.
Austrian Trade Commissioner Wolfgang Herwalik said that the bridge is the shortest one they have funded so far under the $90 million soft-loan assistance program to the Philippine government. Seventeen other bridges have already completed under the program.
Later in the day, Arroyo went to General Santos City where she announced that she was releasing P192 million for two big infrastructure projects of the city.
Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. said that Arroyo ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the amount fund the completion of the Sinawal bridge repair and the expansion of the city's fish port complex.
Acharon said that the funds would definitely help boost the city's economy.
(June 12, 2003 issue)
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