President Arroyo on Wednesday morning gave three government agencies 24 to 72 hours to submit reports on the country's security situation so she may assess if emergency rule should be lifted. The President said she would base her decision to lift a state of national emergency on reports from the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Philippine National Police (PNP). "Mag-uulat sa akin ang kalihim ng katarungan tungkol sa mga pagkilos ng destabilisasyon, ang kalihim ng national defense tungkol sa kontrol ng hukbo at ang hepe ng pambansang kapulisan ukol sa katahimikan at pag-iral ng batas," Arroyo said in a nationwide televised speech. She added: "Aalisin ko ang state of emergency kapag kumbinsido ako na matitiyak sa akin ng bawat opisyal na lubsuan nating kontrolado ang sitwasyon." The President thanked the nation, particularly the business sector, for their response to her declaration. "Malaki ang naitutulong ng inyong pang-unawa at payapang pagtanggap upang mapanatag ang sitwasyon," she said. "Buo ang loob ng inyong pamahalaang bumalik sa pangunahin nating misyon: palakasin ang ating ekonomiya, iangat ang mahirap at tugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng mamamayan. Tungo sa ganoong hangarin, ibig kong bawiin ang proklamasyon ng state of emergency sa lalong madaling panahon," she added. Mrs. Arroyo reiterated her decision to issue Proclamation 1017, which placed the country under a state of national emergency, was justified because there were real threats to her government from conspiring forces of communist groups, disgruntled soldiers and the political opposition. "Kumilos ang pamahalaan upang pangalagaan ang kaligtasan at katiwasayan ng ating republika. At wawakasan natin ang state of emergency oras na matamo ng lubos ang mga panuntunang ito sa destabilisasyon, sandatahang lakas at pag-iral ng batas. Umaasa ako na magkakaroon ng mas matimbang pang pagsulong sa mga usaping ito sa mga darating na araw," Arroyo said. THE MORNING AFTER The President made the announcement a day after her closed-door meeting Tuesday night with Christopher Hill, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Hill reportedly conveyed to Mrs. Arroyo Washington's concern over the Philippines' political stability and the imposition of a state of national emergency. He met with Arroyo, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. The US official was accompanied by US Embassy Chargé d' Affaires Paul Jones. The meeting was reportedly scheduled to last only 30 minutes, but eventually had to be extended. Mrs. Arroyo purportedly summoned Ermita help explain the reason for the declaration of a state of national emergency last week. Hill refused to say whether he, together with US Embassy Charge d' Affaires Paul Jones and the rest of the US delegation, were satisfied with Mrs. Arroyo's explanation. SEALED LIPS Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye did not confirm nor deny if Hill's Tuesday night meeting with Mrs. Arroyo had anything to do with the President's statement Wednesday. Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo only wanted to tell the public the "real score" on the political crisis affecting the government. "Her message was meant to inform the Filipino nation what is the real score. It was not meant to appease the opposition," he said. He said the decision to lift or extend the state of national emergency declaration would depend on the assessment reports of the DOJ, DND and PNP, and not on the viewpoint of the United States government. ’UNTIMELY’ Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Wednesday said lifting Proclamation 1017 is an unwise move at this point, GMA 7’s DZBB reported. "Lifting the proclamation is not yet timely," Gonzalez said, noting that the government still has to neutralize threats from military adventurists who may adversely affect the country’s economic situation. Gonzalez, who was tasked to assess the movement of suspected destabilizers, said his understanding was that he and other Cabinet officials will make their "final assessment" in time for a scheduled meeting in Malacañang this Saturday. The President's economic, political and security managers were instructed to attend the Saturday meeting. NOT SO FAST For his part, Speaker Jose de Venecia on Wednesday morning told GMA 7’s DZBB that lifting a state of national emergency is a matter that requires careful study and should not be done in haste. He said Proclamation 1017, which placed the country under emergency rule, should only be nullified once the government ascertains that security threats have been quashed. Meanwhile, the DND and the Armed Forces on Wednesday said they are ready to submit their assessment reports to President Arroyo, in compliance with her 72-hour deadline. Ross Manlangit, DND spokesman, said AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Generoso Senga already furnished Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr initial assessment reports on the country's security and political situation. Cruz supposedly called Senga, the defense undersecretaries and assistant secretaries for an urgent meeting Wednesday afternoon to finalize their comprehensive and consolidated reports. Manlangit said Cruz plans to submit to Arroyo the DND report on Wednesday.-GMANews.TV
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