Palace, security officials tackle power crisis

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo met yesterday with police and military officials and energy executives in her first national security meeting in recent weeks at the Palace.

Officials said the meeting did not focus on security preparations for the May 10 elections but more on the assurance of power in Mindanao, which continues to be hit by rotating power outages.

Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales said members of the Cabinet cluster on security briefed Mrs. Arroyo on the situation in Mindanao, particularly on the activities of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the extremist Abu Sayyaf Group, and the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

“There were concerns on the possibility of pockets of lawlessness happening in the South because of the recent incidents there,” Gonzales told The STAR, referring to the recent blasts in Basilan attributed to the Abu Sayyaf, and the kidnaping of a Filipino-Swiss businessman in Zamboanga City by a kidnap-for-ransom group.

The meeting also tackled ongoing talks between government peace officials, MNLF leaders and representatives of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Tripoli, Libya.

The President also got a live update from Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process Annabelle Abaya from Tripoli.

Gonzales said there was not much discussion on the issue of election-related violence due to lack of time. The national security meeting was preceded by a meeting of the Cabinet economic cluster and followed by another set of discussions by members of the National Economic and Development Authority Board in the afternoon.

Gonzales said Mrs. Arroyo was concerned about the peace and order situation during the election period and reminded the Armed Forces and Philippine National Police (PNP) officials present of their responsibilities to ensure orderly polls.

According to private election watchdogs, 39 election-related violent incidents that resulted in deaths or injuries were recorded from Jan. 10 to March 25.

The PNP has already identified 558 cities and municipalities considered as “election watchlist areas.”

Energy Secretary Jose Ibazeta said there are still five-hour rotating blackouts in some parts of Mindanao but assured the Cabinet of stable power supply from May 9 to 11.

Mrs. Arroyo asked if there was a way to immediately end the blackouts but Ibazeta said it would still take some months and reserves are being built to ensure there would be power during the elections.

The energy chief earlier warned that some malls and industries in Mindanao may have to temporarily shut down or slow down while dam operators release more water to boost power supply for three days in May to ensure there would be no blackouts during the country’s first nationwide automated polls.