Balita Brief for April 3

[Balita News Group]

FIRST THE HEADLINES...
-- GMA urges people to use reason not passion in electing leader
-- GMA orders AFP to step up the safe rescue of Abu Sayyaf hostages
-- No return of MILF territory GMA assures public
-- GMA visits Leyte provinces today
-- Comelec says no campaign sorties during Holy Week
-- Erap sees no sweep for PPC Senate slate in Cebu
-- MILF SOMO takes effect today

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NOW THE NEWS IN DETAIL...

PresidentMacapagal-Arroyo yesterday called on the people to use reason when
they vote in the coming May 14 elections and not allow passion to govern
their choices.

The President, in a press conference in MalacaÑang, said she hopes that
people will not elect into office those "who have the biggest mouth, the
biggest money, and the biggest spenders."

The President also said she will be more involved in the campaign for the
People Power Coalition in the coming weeks.

The President also denied that her administration is out to implicate former
President Estrada and other members of the opposition senatorial ticket in
controversial crimes.

While admitting that cases are cropping up simply because of the election,
the President stressed that the administration is not harassing the
opposition but is only doing its job.

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MEANWHILE...

President Macapagal-Arroyo directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines to
intensify its operations for the safe rescue of American national Jeffrey
Schilling and Roland Ullah from their Abu Sayyaf terrorist abductors.
The President gave her orders in reaction to the threat of Abu Sayyaf
spokesman Abu Sabaya to behead Schilling as a "birthday gift" to GMA who
turns 54 on April 5, if the government will not send the Saudi Arabian
Ambassador to Basilan to negotiate for Schilling's release.

For his part, Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said the government's policy of
not negotiating with terrorists remains.

Reyes added that Abu Sabaya's threat to behead Schilling is the clearest
evidence that the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization.

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STILL IN MALACANANG...

President Macapagal-Arroyo reassured the citizenry that there is no
precondition for the resumption of the peace negotiations between the
government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that captured camps would
be returned to the rebel group

Saying that the government is not returning any captured settlement to the
MILF, the President called on the people and some political leaders of
Mindanao to give the peace process a chance.

The President explained that the Kuala Lumpur accord cements the groundwork
for the development process in the former conflict areas to take place.
Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also debunked in the same press conference the claims
that the military is wary of the terms of the Kuala Lumpur agreement, saying
the AFP is behind the administration's peace initiatives.

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MEANWHILE...

President Macapagal-Arroyo will visit the provinces of Leyte and Southern
Leyte today to inaugurate and inspect various government infrastructure
projects in these areas.

In Ormoc City, the President will lead the inauguration of the Ormoc City
Flood Control and Mitigation Project.

In Leyte, the President will also lead the ground-breaking of a
farm-to-market road project and the signing of the turnover certificate of
the water supply system project at Barangay Omaganhan, Tabango, Leyte.
Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo will likewise hold an informal interaction with local
farmers and fisherfolk at the San Francisco Sports Center in Southern Leyte.

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MEANWHILE...

The Commission on Election warned that all political candidates must refrain
from any political machineering during the Holy Week.
Lawyer Lope T. Gayo Jr., QC's Election Officer in the 4th district, said any
political movements and activities during the Holy Week, particularly Holy
Thursday and Good Friday, is considered a prohibited campaign.

Gayo noted that in the past, some political candidates were still
campaigning even during Holy Week, almost forgetting their moral and
religious responsibility.

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IN OTHER NEWS...

IN CEBU CITY...
Deposed president Joseph Estrada on Sunday expressed confidence his Pwersa
ng Masa (PnM) senatorial candidates could muster enough Cebuano support to
avoid a shutout loss.

Estrada told reporters that Cebuanos will not be regionalistic this time,
unlike in the 1998 presidential elections where Cebuanos solidly supported
Lito Osmena who ran for president.

While Lito Osmena's progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives
or Promdi is supporting the People Power Coalition, Estrada will be banking
on their alliance with the local Alayon party, headed by pro-Estrada Sen.
John Osmena, estranged brother of the former Cebu governor.

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IN COTABATO CITY...
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is expected to implement today its own
version of suspending military operation or SOMO against government forces
in Mindanao.

The SOMO took effect at 1:00 a.m. today.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu stressed that the instruction has already been
relayed to their field commanders in areas where the MILF operates.

The SOMO, signed by MILF chieftain Hashim Salamat, was in response to an
earlier unilateral ceasefire declared by President Macapagal- Arroyo toward
the rebel group.
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FINALLY THE WEATHER...

Visayas and Mindanao particularly the eastern section will experience mostly
cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of the
country will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated
rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Light to moderate winds blowing from the east and southeast will prevail
over northern Luzon and coming from the east and over the rest of the
country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to
moderate.

Metro Manila will be partly cloudy skies, winds light to moderate blowing
from the east, Manila Bay slight to moderate, temperature range is 23 to 34
degrees Celsius.

Sunrise at 5:51; sunset comes at 6:08. (PNA) VCS/
PNA 04030709