Ramos sets his goals before stepping down from office
Ramos sets his goals before stepping down from office
MANILA (Reuter): Philippine President Fidel Ramos said
yesterday winning the war against crime and sealing a peace pact
with communist rebels were among his top priorities before he
bows out of office in 18 months time.
The 68-year-old leader, in his televised annual Report to the
Nation, also said the Philippines must not be complacent with the
economic progress it had achieved and must try to outstrip the
growth of other Asian economies as it enters the next century.
"We no longer should be satisfied with leapfrogging, for
others are leapfrogging, too. Rather, our aim should be to pole
vault -- over those who are merely leaping -- into the 21st
century," he said.
Ramos, who had surgery 11 days ago to remove a cholesterol
blockage impeding the flow of blood to his brain, gesticulated
forcefully during his 35-minute speech apparently to dispel any
lingering doubts about his state of health.
He vigorously shook hands with officials, diplomats and
businessmen after his address before about 500 guests at the
presidential palace.
Ramos admitted that talks with the communist rebels on ending
a 27-year Marxist insurgency had proved difficult but added: "I
remain steadfast in the belief that an agreement can, and will,
be found.
"And I believe our communist brethren, like the military
rebels and the southern separatists, will yet find their rightful
place in civil society," he added.
Ramos has reached separate peace deals with right-wing army
mutineers linked to coup attempts against his predecessor,
Corazon Aquino, and with the Moro National Liberation Front
(MNLF) which waged a 24-year revolt on southern Mindanao island.
But three-year-long talks with leftist insurgents have
foundered on technicalities.
Ramos acknowledged he had been less than successful in his
efforts to curb major crimes, such as kidnapping for ransom and
rape, especially of minors.
"Civil society has been lacerated by crime these past years.
If there is one area in which the word 'war' is appropriate, it
is in our fight against crime," he said.
"But no one should doubt that, when the dust has settled, the
law will be left standing," he added.
Ramos' pledge to defeat crime came amid mounting media
criticism of the police for failing to arrest a congressman
belonging to the president's party who faces charges of raping an
11-year-old girl.
The hunt for the lawmaker, who is widely believed to be in
Manila, is now in its eighth day.
Officials said the Philippine economy, which has grown
steadily since Ramos took office in 1992, was expected to post at
least 7.1 percent growth for 1996, the highest in eight years.
"We Filipinos have proved that development in Asia-Pacific can
take place under a democratic system," Ramos said.