Balita Brief for June 4
Balita News Group
-- GMA asks the nation to pray for safety of hostages
-- Abu Sayyaf escapes dragnet
-- Rescued hostage thanks GMA
-- GMA confident of Senate nod on Power Bill
-- PNP deploys 3 000 cops for MM school opening
-- In sports, Sta. Lucia and Shell win
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NOW THE NEWS IN DETAIL...
President Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday urged the nation to pray for the safety
of the remaining hostages who are still in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf
bandits in Mindanao.
The President made this appeal as she personally went to the Villamor Air
Base in Pasay City to greet the five newly-rescued hostages and 10 wounded
soldiers who arrived on board a C-130 military plane from Basilan.
The five hostages rescued this morning were identified as Teresa Ganzon,
Letty Jao, Janice Go, Raul de Guzman Recio and Divine Recio.
The President said, in her message, also asked the citizenry to seek divine
intervention and support for all the members of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines and the Philippine National Police who are currently pursuing
the bandits.
She also emphasized that the task of the soldiers and the policemen who are
in hot pursuit of the fleeing bandits have been made difficult by the use of
human shields in their escape.
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IN A RELATED NEWS...
Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan told a press conference in
Camp Aguinaldo yesterday that Abu Sayyaf kidnappers slipped past a military
dragnet in Basilan Saturday night.
Adan said the kidnappers used their hostages as human shields as they
escaped towards the jungles.
Adan also said government forces had surrounded the St. Peter's Parish
Church and the adjacent Dr. Jose Torres Hospital in downtown Lamitan where
the terrorists brought their hostages from Palawan.
In the ensuing encounters, five of the hostages -- Teresa Ganzon, Janice Go,
Letty Jao, Raul Recio and Divine Recio -- managed to escape.
According to Adan, the military could not confirm reports that Abu Sayyaf
chieftain Kadafy Janjalani and his side kick, Abu Sabaya were killed during
the military assault since their bodies could not be found in the area.
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Also rescued at the height of the fighting were the Lamitan hostages
identified as Fr. Rene Enriquez, Fr. Louie Nacorda, Esperidion Gadya and
Wilfredo Taroza.
Fr. Nacorda, a previous Abu Sayyaf hostage years back who vowed not to be
taken alive by the same abductors, was able to hide during the fighting.
Adan said 11 of the Palawan hostages are still in the hands of the kidnappers.
This did not include the undetermined number of hostages the Abu Sayyaf had
taken from the hospital and St. Peter's Parish Church that include hospital
staff.
Adan could not predict if the Abu Sayyaf would take their hostages to Mount
Mohaje where they were holed up for several months last year before
government troops moved in.
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ALSO ON THE RESCUED HOSTAGES...
Reghis Romero II, a property developer who was rescued Saturday, personally
thanked President Macapagal-Arroyo Saturday night.
Romero, together with eight-year-old RJ Recio and Maria Rizza Santos,
escaped Saturday morning from their captors during a heavy firefight between
the Abu Sayyaf bandits and government forces in Lamitan, Basilan.
In his statement read at the doorsteps of the President's family residence
in Forbes Park, Makati City, Romero credited his freedom and that of his
three fellow hostages to the "full-scale campaign launched by President
Arroyo against the Abu Sayyaf and her policy to deny ransom to the terrorists."
Romero also said he was hopeful the President's "offer to the Abu members to
turn in their leaders for a handsome reward will pay off."
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IN OTHER NEWS...
President Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday expressed confidence the Senate would
endorse the bicameral conference committee report on the Omnibus Power Bill
today.
The ratification of the bill will virtually assure the passage into law of
the bill restructuring the state-controlled National Power Corp.
Once passed by the Senate, the bill only needs the signature of the
President to become a law.
In a meeting with members of the Congress last week, the President said she
could not over-emphasize the urgency and significance of the bill.
Aside from freeing the government in paying Napocor's debts totaling $6.5
billion, the Power Sector Reform bill also ensures adequate and cheap
electricity for consumers.
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IN OTHER NEWS...
The Philippine National Police National Capital Region deploys 3,000
policemen to oversee the peace and order situation as schools open in Metro
Manila today.
Two uniformed policemen will be assigned in every public elementary and high
schools while bigger teams will be assigned in public and private colleges
and universities in Manila.
Lawmen in civilian attire will also be dispatched along C. M. Recto ave. to
be on the lookout for criminal elements and bookstores to protect students
from mulcters.
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MEANWHILE...
School and police authorities in Metro Manila have geared up for the
expected increase in pedestrian and motor traffic with the opening of
schools today with the implementation of "Operation Balik Eskwela."
Drawn up by the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Philippine
National Police-National Capital Regional Office with the support of the
Philippine National Association of School Security Organization, Operation
Balik Eskwela ensures that school opening day in Metro Manila will be
orderly and safe for the public.
MMDA Chairman Benjamin S. Abalos said Operation Balik Eskwela means the
fielding of more traffic and police personnel, the strict implementation of
traffic rules and safety measures all over the Metro area, especially in the
University Belt in Manila, the Commonwealth- Katipunan-Diliman area in
Quezon city, Taft Avenue and the Intramuros area.
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IN SPORTS...
Sta. Lucia and Shell last night won their initial games in the PNA
Commissioner's Cup.
The Realtors beat Pop Cola, 95-86, while the Turbo Chargers upended Tanduay,
74-67.
Balik-import Ensu Sesay and Dennis Espino topscored for Sta. Lucia with 20
points while Paolo Mendoza and Marlou Aquino both scored 17.
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FINALLY THE WEATHER...
Mindanao and Palawan will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered
rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will have partly
cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.
Light to moderate winds blowing from the east and southeast will prevail
over Luzon and Visayas becoming light winds blowing from east and variable
over Mindanao. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight
to moderate.
Metro Manila will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or
thunderstorms, winds light to moderate blowing from the east and southeast,
Manila Bay slight to moderate, temperature range is 26 to 34 degrees Celsius.
Sunrise at 5:26; sunset comes at 6:23. (PNA) VCS/
PNA 06040643