August 4, 2000, The Philippine Star, Zamora defends extra powers for Estrada,

August 4, 2000, The Philippine Star, Zamora defends extra powers for Estrada,

The Mindanao situation is a national emergency and President Estrada needs emergency powers to effectively deal with the problem, Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said yesterday.

Testifying before the Senate yesterday, Zamora said that although limited to certain areas in the island, the problem needs an immediate response from the national government.

"As a matter of fact, there is an emergency. It's not only regional, it's national that needs legislative measures," he said.

Zamora testified on the proposed emergency powers for President Estrada before the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, revision of laws and codes, which is chaired by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

National Security Adviser Alexander Aguirre, who attended the public hearing, also said that a national emergency exists in Mindanao, but that the situation does not need the declaration of martial law.

Other Cabinet members at the hearing who supported the emergency powers bill were Secretaries Artemio Tuquero of Justice, Bienvenido Laguesma of Labor, and Felipe Medalla of the National Economic and Development Authority.

Santiago hinted that her committee would recommend the passing of the Senate version of the emergency powers bill if the author, Senate President Pro Tempore Blas Ople, would correct parts of the measure that are deemed unconstitutional.

Among the bill's supposed defects are the title, which does not indicate the grant of emergency powers to President Estrada, and the two-year limit in exercising the powers, which legal experts said was unconstitutional.

Santiago issued the statement after Zamora said that Malacañang is open to changes in the bill, including the inclusion of negotiated contracts, and that the emergency powers would only be effective until the next session of Congress.

"It seems like this bill will pass committee stages, it will be voted for by the committee because Malacañang is willing to tone down or amend or rectify all the provisions we pointed out as defective," she said.

Zamora said the granting of limited emergency powers to President Estrada has the support of Mindanao's social, political and economic leaders, as well as local government officials.

Zamora said the President must speed up Mindanao's development and that bureaucratic red tape has become a major obstacle in the implementation of infrastructure projects on the island.

"We have to win not just the war, but more importantly the peace, and in order to do that we have to fast-track and cut through the bone of red tape that now affects many of our projects in that region," he said.

Zamora said the war has displaced more than 700,000 people in Mindanao and they need immediate food and shelter, and that sporadic fighting has killed hundreds of combatants from both the government and the rebel side.

In General Santos City, House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Daisy Avance-Fuentes said yesterday Mindanao congressmen will file a "substitute bill" that would lay down the groundwork for the rehabilitation and development of war-torn areas in the island.

In a radio interview, Fuentes said the alternative bill would set aside a measure earlier filed by Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas, and that it would be finalized in a caucus among Mindanao legislators next week.

Fuentes, who represents the second district of North Cotabato, said the bill is now being finalized, and assured that it would contain the people's sentiments, as well as proposals from local and national officials.

Fuentes said the alternative bill will deal mainly with the allocation, disbursement of funds, and the implementation of government projects, particularly on hastening the process.

"We are not talking of emergency powers here but a more meaningful approach towards the problem," she said.

Gullas' Mindanao crisis bill seeks to give President Estrada the power to ban strikes, prohibit courts from issuing temporary restraining orders against government projects, and suspend social programs, among other things.--Perseus Echeminada and Allen Estabillo