RP fears backlash over arrest of communist chief<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): Philippine President Fidel Ramos expressed
\nconcern yesterday that the arrest of the alleged leader of
\ncommunist death squads could spark a security backlash ahead of a
\nregional summit here.<\/p>\n
Ramos denied the arrest of Felimon Lagman was linked to the
\nAsia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit, to be held from
\nNov. 20 to 25, which is the subject of a high security alert.<\/p>\n
\"The move might be misconstrued as a crackdown on anti-APEC
\nprotests. But the case is a police matter and in no way related
\nto APEC,\" Ramos was quoted as telling officials at a cabinet
\nmeeting, referring to the arrest of alleged communist hit-squad
\nleader Lagman.<\/p>\n
\"I agree with your observation that the timing is not so good
\nbut if these are things that have to be done in order to protect
\nthe greater public interest then so be it,\" he said, adding that
\nthe order for his arrest came from the courts and not his office.<\/p>\n
Lagman, who is now the leader of a labor group, was arrested
\nTuesday for the killing of a policeman in 1992, when he was said
\nto have headed the Alex Boncayao Brigade, a communist hit-squad
\nwhich was held responsible for the deaths of 200 civilians and
\npolicemen.<\/p>\n
Manila yesterday declared a five-day holiday and banned
\ncivilians from carrying licensed guns outside their homes from
\nNov. 16 as part of a security clampdown for the APEC summit.<\/p>\n
The summit will bring together U.S. President Bill Clinton,
\nthe prime ministers of Japan, Canada and Australia and leaders or
\nrepresentatives of 14 other Pacific Rim economies.<\/p>\n
Manila is leaving no stone unturned in its security
\npreparations for APEC, which it considers its \"coming-out party\"
\namid a modest economic recovery after more than two decades of
\neconomic and political instability.<\/p>\n
As the cabinet discussed APEC security, riot police blocked
\ndozens of anti-APEC protesters on a bridge leading to the
\nMalacanang presidential palace.<\/p>\n
However, the number of protesters swelled to several hundred,
\nincluding 50 foreign activists, who later marched on the U.S.
\nembassy while chanting anti-APEC slogans.<\/p>\n
Ramos has said \"maximum tolerance\" would be shown toward anti-
\nAPEC demonstrators.<\/p>\n
\"We just let them do their thing unless they create trouble
\nthat disturbs peace and order,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A holiday from Nov. 22 to Nov. 26 was declared in greater
\nManila and the northern city of Olongapo, where the Subic summit
\nvenue is located, to \"ensure a free and unhampered flow of
\ntraffic.\"<\/p>\n
Senior officials and foreign ministers from APEC countries are
\nto meet in Manila from Nov. 20 - 24, while the leaders will meet
\nNov. 25 at Subic Bay.<\/p>\n
\"I think we have a lot of confidence in Filipino authorities
\nto take care of any security problems that might arise when the
\npresident (Clinton) travels,\" the U.S. ambassador to the
\nPhilippines, Thomas Hubbard, was quoted as saying in a report
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Philippine Defense Secretary Renato de Villa defended the
\narrest of Lagman amid fears it could spark anti-APEC protests of
\nthe sort triggered by the recent demolition of squatter colonies
\nand drawing up of a blacklist of potential foreign troublemakers.<\/p>\n
\"I do believe that all of these factors must have been thought
\nof or must have come to the minds of the people who executed the
\naction,\" he told reporters after the cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n
Lagman's brother, congressman Edcel Lagman, protested the
\narrest, which came amid reports that the left-wing squad his
\nbrother allegedly headed would disrupt the APEC leaders' summit.<\/p>\n
\"This is a maneuver of the administration to silence the
\nopposition to APEC because the leader of this is my brother,\" the
\ncongressman said in a radio interview yesterday.<\/p>\n
Labor officials scrambled yesterday to resolve disputes
\nbetween the management and unions of five-star hotels that had
\nearlier threatened to strike during the APEC summit.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-fears-backlash-over-arrest-of-communist-chief-1447893297",
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