Press Briefing Room, New Executive Bldg., Malacañang, | News Releases below | Audio | http://www.pcoo.gov.ph/pnoy/PRESSBRIEFING%2025SEPT2013.mpg.mp3 | Malacanang hopeful Zamboanga City returns to normalcy Malacanang expressed optimism that normalcy will soon return to Zamboanga City after the conflict between government troops and the members of the Moro National Liberation Front-Misauari faction entered its 17th day on Wednesday. In a press briefing in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that the latest update from the province was that shipping lines between Zamboanga City and Tawi-Tawi had begun operations, 60 percent of schools have opened and the biggest mall in the province has also begun servicing its customers. "Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Mar Roxas II informed me that there are now daily ships to Tawi-Tawi. It resumes today. They have been cut off for 16 days. There are about 1,000 stranded passengers from each side so now that we have resumed shipping in Tawi-Tawi, we will have a daily commute," Lacierda said. He said members from the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Navy and the Philippine National Police have joined forces to ensure the safety of those travelling between provinces. "The Coast Guard, the Navy and the PNP Marines have set up appropriate security measures just to be sure. And also today, there are 149 elementary and secondary schools today that were opened. That's around 60 percent of the schools there. The remainder, in conflict areas, are being used as evacuation centers," Lacierda said. "So, we are now returning, hopefully, to normalcy in areas that were affected by the conflict in Zamboanga City and hopefully, we will recover soon," he added. PND (rck) *** Malacanang warns Commission on Audit building shooters: 'You will fail' Malacanang expressed concern over the shooting by still unknown individuals of the Commission on Audit (COA) building in Quezon City on Wednesday, saying the perpetrators would fail in their attempt to use the incident as a threat to "people pushing for reforms." "To those elements who intended to use this as a threat to those people pushing for reforms, you have heard the chairman and you will fail," Lacierda said in a press briefing in Malacanang. He commended the COA who, through its chairman Grace Pulido-Tan, said the agency would not be deterred and will continue with their audit functions. "We commend the statement of Chairman Grace Pulido-Tan that they will not be deterred by the recent incident at the COA building and we commend their determination to continue with their mandate to serve the Filipino people and to continue with their audit functions. This should not deter anyone," Lacierda said. He added that security measures would be accorded to the commissioners of the COA after further assessment of the situation. "We will assess the situation but certainly we are looking at the incident with concern... if the investigation will reveal that this was no random incident, we certainly look at this with grave concern," Lacierda said. Quezon City Police Department Chief Superintendent Richard Albano said in an earlier interview that the COA building along Commonwealth Avenue was shot at early Wednesday morning with police forces conducting an investigation into the incident. PND (rck) *** Government will not tolerate looting of soldiers in Zamboanga City, says Palace The Palace said it won't tolerate the alleged looting committed by soldiers at the height of the siege in Zamboanga City against the members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). "We frown on our own soldiers harming our own civilians in this manner. Looting is not acceptable. They are there to protect the people," Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing on Wednesday in Malacanang. "Let me just emphasize: We—the AFP and this government—will not tolerate any looting by our own soldiers. The leadership of AFP has already imposed sanctions on these soldiers who have done those despicable acts," he added. (C O N T ... http://www.pcoo.gov.ph/today.htm#Government_will_not) ***

• published: 25 Sep 2013
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