Arroyo to criminals, terrorists: Your world is getting smaller

President Arroyo said yesterday criminals and terrorists in the country will find soon find no place to hide as the government has taken the battle against them to the grassroots level.

The President was referring to a 10-point Police-Community Anti-Crime and Terrorism Plan drawn up by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

In her weekly radio message aired over the state-run Radyo ng Bayan, Mrs. Arroyo specifically cited a proposal by the 1,500-strong League of Municipal Mayors (LMP) to implement a municipal identification card system meant to ferret out potential trouble-makers in the community.

During the recently concluded LMP national convention at the Manila Hotel, Mrs. Arroyo hailed the mayors for allocating funds for the activation of intelligence networks in their respective towns that would monitor suspicious activities of strangers in the barangays.

"I am glad for their initiatives to intensify our fight against crimes and terrorism (at the local level)," the President said.

"All of us know that no nation should cower in fear before any terrorists (because) that would mean conceding defeat. We must unite and fight them in our concerted action to vanquish this evil force," she added.

The President also directed the mayors to mobilize their respective Peace and Order Councils (POCs) and to conduct ronda (night watch) and searches within the limits of the law to thwart terrorist attacks and other criminal acts.

Mrs. Arroyo told the local chief executives to tap the services of civilian volunteers for the community-based intelligence network. –Marichu Villanueva