We are concerned over this incident and we acknowledge the statement of Ambassador Ricciardone expressing regrets and the assurances that this will be looked into.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today gave housing and railways officials three months to clear of squatter the seven-kilometer railway line from Caloocan City to Valenzuela City to fast track the implementation of the North Luzon Railways Corporation (Northrail) project.

The President issued her directive, as the National Housing Authority (NHA) reported its having cleared the 1.7- kilometer stretch of the Northrail line covering three barangays in Malabon City. About 2000 squatter from the area have been relocated.

The cleared site covers Barangays Acacia, Tugatog, Tenejeros, and Potrero in Malabon City. The NHA turned over to railways officials, the responsibility of maintaining the area, where a new railway system that will eventually run the stretch between Metro Manila and the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga.

The President witnessed the turnover and inspected the cleared area in Barangay Tugatog this morning, during which she thanked the officials and all those concerned who have supported and cooperated to push the project forward.

The Northrail project is expected to ease the flow of traffic along MacArthur Highway, and offer commuters an alternative mode of transportation and a faster way of getting to their destinations, not to mention cargo hauling, at cheaper rates.

The President likewise announced that the award and bidding process for the widening of the MacArthur Highway would commence in April.

Accompanying the President during her inspection were Vice President Noli de Castro, who also chairs the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), NHA general manager Federico Laxa, Philippine National Railways general manager Jose Ma. Sarasola II, Malabon City Mayor Tito Oreta, and Northrail president Jose Cortes Jr.

Northrail president Jose Cortes, Jr. said the President issued her directive to ensure that the project is not delayed, since the heavy equipment to be used for the rail tracks including four drilling machines, compressor, and geodetic instruments are due to arrive this month.

He said Chinese engineering teams would also start arriving in April.

Cortes said the first phase of the Northrail project from Caloocan to Malolos City in Bulacan is funded by a $503-million loan from the Export-Import Bank of China.

He said Phase 2 of the project would cover Malolos to Clark, Pampanga, while Phase 3 would service commuters from Clark to San Fernando, La Union.

Cortes said the Northrail-Southrail interconnection project involving the rehabilitation and repair of existing railway line from Caloocan to Calamba, would also start by June.

In a statement issued this morning, Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said: "Philippine lawmakers deserve some respect in foreign soil in the same manner that all foreign government officials and diplomats enjoy the respect and courtesies due them in our country."

Senator Estrada was detained for one-and-a-half hours at the San Francisco International Airport where authorities were said to have questioned her on her husband's case, including whether she thought he would be convicted of plunder.

The Senator was with her daughter Jackie Estrada-Lopez and her grandchildren when they were met at the arrival tube in San Francisco by a team from the US homeland security department and segregated from other passengers.

Bunye said that while the Philippine government had acknowledged the apology of US Ambassador to the Philippines Francis Ricciardone, it expects an investigation of the incident.

Senate President Franklin Drilon earlier said that Ricciardone had called him and apologized for the incident. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo also reported that the US State Department in Washington had likewise apologized.