MALAYSIAN
POLICE CLEARS MISUARI ON
ABDUCTION CHARGES
By The Associated Press,
Joy Lapuz
Police
said they are ready to
hand over to Philippine
authorities a rebel
Muslim leader after
clearing him from
involvement in
kidnappings at two
diving resorts, news
reports said Sunday.
Nur
Misuari, a former leader
of the separatist Moro
National Liberation
Front, faces rebellion
charges in the
Philippines for
allegedly leading an
attack on an army base.
One hundred people were
killed in the assault.
Misuari
was caught by Malaysian
police on Nov. 24 as he
fled the southern
Philippines, and
officials in Kuala
Lumpur have said they
will deport him.
The
Philippine government
accuses Misuari of
having ties with the Abu
Sayyaf, a rebel group
that kidnapped 24
people, mostly foreign
tourists, from Sipadan
and Pandanan islands off
Sabah last year. All but
one of the hostages were
freed after millions of
dollars in ransom was
paid to the rebels.
The
Abu Sayyaf has been
linked to Saudi
dissident Osama bin
Laden's al-Qaida
organization, which has
been blamed for the
Sept. 11 terror attacks
in the United States.
On
Sunday, Malaysian
National Police Chief
Norian Mai said
investigations had
turned up no evidence to
connect Misuari to the
kidnappings. Norian said
that Misuari had not
committed any crime in
Malaysia except for
illegal entry.
"We
will have him deported
as soon as
possible," the
national Bernama news
agency quoted Norian as
saying.
NDF
DECLARES WILLINGNESS TO
FORGE HOLIDAY CEASE-FIRE
By The Associated Press,
Joy Lapuz
Communist
guerrillas on Sunday
declared their
willingness to forge a
one-month cease-fire
with Philippine
government troops
traditionally observed
during the Christmas
holiday.
Communist
rebels throughout the
Philippines have been
ordered to halt
offensives and shift to
a "defensive
mode" if a mutually
agreed cease-fire takes
effect, said the
statement signed by Luis
Jalandoni, chairman of
the Marxist umbrella,
the National Democratic
Front.
"Active
self-defense shall be
undertaken only in the
face of imminent
danger," said
Jalandoni. Rebels have
been warned against
possible military encroachment,
offensives and
surveillance.
The
government chief
negotiator in peace
talks with the rebels,
Silvestre Bello III,
said a recommendation
has been made to
President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo to
agree to the holiday
cease-fire but added she
has not yet made a
decision.
Eduardo
Ermita, a presidential
adviser on the peace
talks, said Arroyo is
likely to approve the
cease-fire after
consulting with
military, police and
defense officials.
Jalandoni
said the proposed
cease-fire would allow
combatants from both
sides of the 32-year
Marxist rebellion to
enjoy the holidays.
It
would also improve the
atmosphere for a planned
resumption of peace
talks in January and
increase the chances of
a release of military
and rebel captives and
implementation of an
accord aimed at
upholding human rights,
he said.
DECEMBER
17 DECLARED AS A SPECIAL
NON-WORKING DAY FOR
EID-UL-FITRE
President
Arroyo has declared
December 17 this year as
a special non-working
day throughout the
country in commemoration
of Eid-Ul-Fitre, the
biggest Muslim festival
following the holy month
of Ramadan.
The
President issued
Proclamation No. 120-A
dated December 7, 2001,
declaring December 17 as
a special day to promote
cultural understanding
and integration and to
give the entire nation
the full opportunity to
join our
Muslim
brothers and sisters in
observing and
celebrating this
important day.
MALACANANG
HOLDS ECONOMIC SUMMIT
TOMORROW
By Joel Locsin
Malacanang
hopes to address the
effects of the September
11 terrorist attack on
the Philippine economy
when it holds a
socio-economic forum
this Monday.
President
Arroyo said the event
appropriately coincides
with the international
celebration of Human
Rights' Day, as
Filipinos have the right
to live a decent life.
"Tamang-tama
yan kasi Dec. 10 Human
Rights Day, and being
able to have the minimum
basic needs, human
rights din yan. Ang
summit na ito ang
kanyang layunin tugunan
ang socio-economic
problems na likha sa
Sept. 11 terrorist
attack sa US," she
said.
The
President, who will be
presented with the pact,
will sign the agreement
before legislative,
labor and economic
leaders.
The
summit will be held at
the Fiesta Pavilion of
the Manila Hotel.
