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