Arroyo: Gringo, Ping can campaign without fear of arrest

They asked for level playing field and they got it.

President Arroyo granted yesterday safe conduct passes for opposition Sen. Gregorio Honasan and former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Panfilo Lacson to enable them to resume their campaign for the Senate in the May 14 elections.

In separate telephone interviews with television network ABS-CBN, both Honasan and Lacson expressed their gratitude to the President for granting them the passes, but asked that her directive be made in writing.

"We are waiting for a formal document," said Honasan.

The President said Honasan and Lacson, who were considered fugitives for ignoring a government ultimatum for them to surrender last Friday, could now come out of hiding without fear of being arrested.

Meanwhile, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. balked from talks with the justice department to place Honasan under his custody.

Makati Rep. Agapito Aquino, campaign manager of the opposition coalition Puwersa ng Masa-Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (PnM-LDP) asked Arroyo during a meeting to allow Honasan and Lacson to campaign without fear of arrest.

"I hope we can campaign on a more level playing field," Aquino told the President.

"Your request is granted," Mrs. Arroyo replied during the exchange aired nationwide over a government-run radio station.

Mrs. Arroyo met with opposition leaders, police, military and election officials at Malacañang to discuss final preparations for the polls.

She called for honest, orderly and peaceful elections.

After the meeting, representatives of political parties signed an accord committing themselves to work against electoral violence and fraud.

The Chief Executive said she was saddened by a series of election-related killings, but welcomed police and military efforts to enforce the law and prevent more violence.

Officials have linked Honasan and Lacson to last month’s failed power grab that prompted Mrs. Arroyo to declare a state of rebellion in Metro Manila last May 1.

The declaration allowed for the warrantless arrest of suspected coup plotters, mostly leaders of the political opposition who were accused of instigating tens of thousands of pro-Estrada rallyists to attack the Palace in a bid to topple the Arroyo administration on Labor Day.

The assault left at least four people dead and over 100 wounded.

Mrs. Arroyo, who was swept to power last January by a military- and Church-backed popular uprising that ousted Estrada over allegations of massive corruption, claimed that the coup leaders plotted to assassinate her and Estrada to install a civilian-military junta.

Among those arrested were Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile who is also running for re-election, and former Ambassador to Washington Ernesto Maceda. Both have been freed on bail.

Honasan and Lacson, who were among those ordered arrested, went into hiding even as they questioned the legality of the order, as well as the declaration of state of rebellion.

The government gave them until last Friday to yield or be declared fugitives.

PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza has said they would pursue rebellion charges against Lacson and Honasan who were reported to be persuading disgruntled policemen and soldiers to take up arms against the government.

Pimentel suspends talks for surrender

"I am putting on hold the talks with the Department of Justice (DOJ) for placing Sen. Gregorio Honasan under my custody as Senate President until after certain issues are clarified," Pimentel said in a statement.

He said he agreed to broker Honasan’s "emergence from where he is now" to help defuse the tension and head off possible violent confrontations.

Honasan was reportedly set to meet with the justice secretary the other day, but the meeting was aborted after the senator complained that the DOJ premises were crawling with soldiers and policemen.

"As head of the Senate, I was prepared to discuss the details of the legal arrangements of the placing of Sen. Honasan under the custody of the Senate upon the assurance of Sec. Perez that the senator would not be arrested without a warrant," the statement said.

Pimentel also said he wanted to find out why despite the absence of formal charges, Honasan is the subject of a manhunt by the police and the military.

"It is my position that Senator Honasan should be afforded all the rights guaranteed to citizens of this republic including the right against arbitrary arrest and detention and to respond to charges against him in a formal preliminary investigation," Pimentel added.