Arroyo to lift 1017?

(2nd UPDATE) PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo went on air at a little past 11 this morning to say she will lift Proclamation 1017 only when she is assured that the threats to her government have been eliminated.

Arroyo said she has given instructions to the Departments of Justice and National Defense, and the Philippine National Police, to report within "24 to 72 hours" so she can then make a decision.

"Ibig kong bawiin ang state of emergency sa lalong madaling panahon," the President said. "Humihingi ako ng tatlong ulat na isusumite sa akin sa loob ng 24 hanggang 72 oras, upang suriin ang kalagayan ng seguridad."

The justice department will report about destabilization plots; the defense department, on the armed forces; and the police, on the peace and order situation.

"Babawiin ko ang state of emergency kung matitiyak sa akin ng bawat opisyal na lubusan nating kontrolado ang sitwasyon," Arroyo said.

She began and ended her short announcement thanking "the majority of our citizens" for their support to the declaration of a state of national emergency.

Opposition leader Rep. Francis Escudero, meanwhile, insisted that the state of emergency be lifted immediately. "It is not the President who needs to be convinced that Proclamation 1017 needs to be lifted. It is the people who are convinced that it should be rejected," he said.

Arroyo’s announcement this morning came amid successive criticisms from various sectors — senators, lawyers, academe, business, media and civil society groups — over the spate of arrests and the threats to media following the February 24 declaration. Vice President Noli de Castro, who has earlier declared his support of Proclamation 1017, is now also urging that the emergency declaration be lifted before the end of the week.

"Kung ako ang masusunod itong linggo na ito dapat ay matapos na ‘yan dahil wala na naman ‘yung emergency. Kung mayroong emergency ay natapos natin noong nakaraang linggo," said de Castro over dzMM. The vice president also said he was not consulted about the declaration and only received a text message informing him about it.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is also set to break its silence on the matter in the coming days.

Archbishop Oscar Cruz of Lingayen, a former CBCP president, said the bishops are not happy with the declaration, and, "that is why we will meet in the coming days to talk about what is happening in the country today." 

Before Malacañang’s announcement, four petitions were filed with the Supreme Court, questioning the constitutionality of Arroyo’s actions.

Though the Court did not issue a temporary restraining order, Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban yesterday assured petitioners that the justices will act on the issue "with dispatch." He stressed that the freedoms of speech and of expression occupy "the highest priority in all the freedoms under the Bill of Rights."

Lawyer Harry Roque, whose law firm is representing the Akbayan party-list group as one of the petitioners, urged the High Court to to still tackle the petitions and issue a ruling for the guidance of the nation.

If the state of emergency is lifted, Atty. Theodore Te of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) also said, the Supreme Court "may dismiss the petitions without rendering a decision, or it can dismiss them on the grounds of being moot and academic but still render guidelines." Such guidelines, Te said, will serve to educate not only law practitioners but the general public.

The full text of the President’s brief statement this morning, taken from her official website:

Mga Kababayan,

Salamat sa panatag at maunawaing pagtanggap ng higit na nakararaming mamamayan at mga merkado sa ating pagkilos upang ipagtanggol ang ating demokrasya sa banta ng komunistang rebelde at ilang sundalong ligaw at politikong kasabwat nila.

Malaki ang naitulong ng inyong pang-unawa at payapang pagtanggap upang mapanatag ang sitwasyon.

Buo ang loob ng inyong pamahalaang bumalik sa pangunahin nating misyon na 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.

Humihingi ako ng tatlong ulat na isusumite sa akin sa loob ng 24 hanggang 72 oras upang suriin ang kalagayan ng seguridad.

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 hinggil sa katahimikan at pag-iral ng batas.

Aalisin ko ang state of emergency kapag kumbinsido ako na matitiyak sa akin ng bawat opisyal na lubusan nating kontrolado ang sitwasyon.

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 akong magkakaroon ng mga mas matimbang pang pagsulong sa mga usaping ito sa mga darating na araw.

Salamat muli, mga mahal kong kababayan, at patnubayan tayo ng Diyos.