Marines won't be withdrawn

No, he won't.

President Estrada rejected yesterday calls from various sectors for him to recall the Marine troopers who have been fielded to curb criminality in Metro Manila's crowded public areas.

At the same time, the President reassured the public that the deployment of the Marines was not in any way an indication of a serious threat from any terrorist group.

For her part, Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo told critics of the deployment of the Marines in Metro Manila to "give them (soldiers) a chance."

"We should allow some time for the program to work," Arroyo said during her weekly press conference.

She said the public should trust the judgment of those who fielded the Marines.

"There are mixed reactions, so there is a possibility that it will work so we should give it a chance to see how it will work," Arroyo said.

Echoing the President's words, Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado dismissed as "speculations" the reports that the Marines have been deployed not to fight petty crimes but to thwart any destabilization attempt by communist or Muslim rebels.

"If there's a real threat, we will not use only 50 Marines, give them sidearms, make them wear uniforms and make them visible," Mercado said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome also denied reports that a possible attack by joint forces of the New People's Army and Muslim rebels was the main reason for the deployment of the Marines in the metropolis.

The President told radio station dzMM yesterday that the deployment of the Marines was still on a "test basis" to see if their presence in commercial centers could effectively deter crime.

"Why should I recall them when the results are good? The first priority and duty of the president is to ensure peace and order for his people, especially here in Metro Manila," Mr. Estrada said.

The President said reactions he has received indicate that the deployment of the Marines was received warmly not only by the general public but also the local and foreign business communities.

"It is my duty as the commander-in-chief to prevent any sign of violence that may occur," he added.

At the same time, the President said heads of various colleges and universities want Marines deployed also around their campuses to protect students against petty thieves and muggers.

"What martial law are they talking about? Here the school heads are the ones asking we deploy the Marines at the schoolks," he said.

Mr. Estrada admitted that a shortage in the manpower of the PNP necessitated the deployment of the Fort Bonifacio-based Marines.

"We are augmenting our police with the Marines in order to secure our people. It is different if people see our law enforcers moving around... criminals would not dare commit crimes if they see our policemen accompanied by the Marines. They will think 10 times before they commit a crime," the President said.

"Those who oppose this (Marines' deployment) are only out to get media mileage. As far as they in the opposition are concerned, I cannot do anything right, all that I do is wrong to them," Mr. Estrada lamented.

As the President spoke on radio, about 30 student activists accused him of being a fascist in slogans they spray-painted on a gate of Malacañang.

Teodoro Casiño, secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and one of the rally leaders, described the government's reliance on guns and the military to achieve security as "a dangerous fetish."

This developed as National Capital Region Police Office director Chief Superintendent Edgar Aglipay temporarily deferred the deployment of 35 Marine troopers in shopping malls in Makati following the opposition raised by city Mayor Elenita Binay.

Makati police chief Superintendent Jovito Gutierrez welcomed the deferment, saying that the deployment of the troopers is not a sure formula to deter criminals.

Binay said that PNP chief Deputy Director General Panfilo Lacson may go down in history as the "most failed" PNP chief for depending too much on the assistance of the Marines to fight criminality in Metro Manila.

At the House of Representatives, Rep. Raul Gonzalez (Lakas, Iloilo) filed a resolution seeking a formal inquiry into the deployment of the Marines.

Gonzalez said the House will particularly summon Lacson to explain his move to bring in the Marines in the metropolis.

He claimed that the presence of the military in non-war areas is unconstitutional and would only strike fear among the people.

"It is not proper for these wartime fighters to man city streets. Our policemen already have low regard for civil rights. How much more if they are joined by these war-trained Marines?" Gonzalez asked.

At the Senate, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile said the courts could inquire into the decision of the President to deploy the Marines in his capacity as commander-in-chief.

"The President may have exercised this function based on intelligence information furnished him and which he did not divulge to the public," he said.

Enrile said he does not know if there is such an intelligence report and that he is not prepared to question whatever might be the factual basis for the President's decision.

He stressed that while he cannot question the factual basis for the President's decision, the courts could.

Enrile pointed out that the Supreme Court had already abandoned a previous doctrine that the courts could not question the power of the President to exercise his commander-in-chief function.

"This has been overturned in the Lansang case where the Supreme Court ruled that the courts could inquire into the factual basis of the exercise of this function," he said.

Sen. Robert Barbers, meanwhile, branded as "pure speculation" reports of brewing trouble in Metro Manila that impelled Mr. Estrada to deploy the Marines.

He said he believes in the official announcement that the deployment was only meant to enhance police visibility. However, he asserted that the decision is wrong as it gives the impression that the police are not equal to the task of fighting crime in Metro Manila.

In a related development, Sen. Juan Flavier urged the President to pull out the Marines from the capital region and send them instead to Mindanao to address the security problem posed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Flavier said more military troops are needed in Mindanao to assure the civilian population there that the government has not abandoned them in the wake of the massive MILF attacks in the past days, particularly in Maguindanao.

An official of the South Korean Embassy also described as "foolish" the PNP's move to deploy Marines in commercial establishments in the metropolis.

Minister Sue (Jose) Yong-hyun, the embassy's deputy chief of mission, said the deployment of the Marines was uncalled for.

"(The move) was surprisingly foolish. To detail Marine soldiers in the malls is foolish. I do not find any reason why they would be deploying Marine soldiers at the malls," he said.

Meanwhile, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) admitted having requested Lacson to increase police visibility in business centers.

"How General Panfilo Lacson implemented this request was a matter for him to decide. ECOP therefore, respects his move to deploy members of the Philippine Marines to beef up his police force. He is in a best position to put in place measures that will achieve what the business community requests," ECOP said in a statement.

The Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) welcomed the government's move to improve security in shopping malls through increased presence and visibility of law enforcers.

In a statement, the PRA said the deployment of the Marines would not only protect shoppers but also support its efforts to make the Philippines the "shopping capital of Asia." - With reports from Paolo Romero, Efren Danao, Mayen Jaymalin, Perseus Echeminada, Jose Rodel Clapano, Liberty Dones, Mike Frialde, Christina Mendez