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Friday, March 03, 2006
Arroyo lifts emergency rule
MANILA (Updated 12:00 p.m.) -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo lifted a week-old state of emergency on Friday, after her security advisers assured her that the threat of a coup has eased.
In a televised address to the country, Arroyo said the national situation "is back to normal" so she deemed it fit to lift the emergency status.
Just an hour before she made the announcement, however, two strong explosions rocked an area just outside an entertainment and commercial establishment in Pasig City. No one was hurt in the twin blasts, which occurred at 9:45 a.m.
She thanked the military and the police for their support to her administration and for rejecting moves from the opposition or other groups for them to withdraw support from the government and the chain of command.
Arroyo also expressed her gratitude to local government officials for their support to her administration and upholding democracy.
The President recalled that events that led to the emergency state declaration and the moves taken by the government to address it and to fix the damage to the economy caused by the aborted coup last Friday.
Arroyo said she was supposed to take back Proclamation 1017 last Sunday but the short-lived uprising by Marine soldiers that day prompted her to reconsider the move.
She ordered Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz to hold dialogs with the soldiers to discuss the government's plans for them and to listen to whatever gripes they have.
Arroyo reiterated that she will not abet military adventurism as she urged the opposition "to stop its antics" as it affects the economy.
Opposition and civil activists have warned that political freedoms were being eroded.
Authorities have filed criminal charges against at least 51 opposition members, military personnel and others for trying to overthrow the president. They include five left-wing lawmakers who sought refugee at the House of Representatives and refused to be interviewed by police.
Civil libertarians, lawyers, businessmen and media groups have expressed concerns over a string of warrantless arrests, a ban on rallies and a raid on a critical newspaper.
Meanwhile, police are investigating the blasts that occurred near Metrowalk, an entertainment and commercial establishment.
National Police Chief Arturo Lomibao and National Capital Region Police Office
head Vidal Querol rushed to the site of the explosions.
Lomibao said initial investigation by the police in the area showed that the blasts were pillbox explosions as no bomb components and materials were retrieved from the area.
He also assured the public that there was nothing to worry over the explosions.
The first blast occurred at 9:45 a.m. near the Eastern Police District's traffic and Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) offices. A minute later, another explosion went off outside a canteen located behind Metrowalk. (Sunnex)
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