We respect what people have to say about the declaration of the state of emergency but we are certain that as the whole story unfolds about the broad conspiracy to tear down democratic government, they will understand that the President acted just in time and in commensurate measure in the interest of national security and stability.

There was a clear and present danger to the Republic at that time. The President confronted it with commensurate force and vigilance but adhering closely to Constitutional standards.

We assure the people that the government is in full control and has not transgressed legal boundaries in exercising its right to thwart the enemies of democracy.

There is an obvious attempt by some sectors to stir up hysteria rather than sobriety, and we urge our people to trust our system of laws and the institutions that continue to serve them with complete sincerity and concern for their welfare.

At this time of a growing economy, we must tone down the political heat and revert to normalcy so that tourists and investors will continue to head our way.

We warmly welcome the Prime Minister of New Zealand to our country as well as the continued holding of several international conventions in the country.

For example, tomorrow marks the start of the 35th Convention of the International Federation of Western Pacific Contractors Association in Manila wherein the biggest construction and engineering firms in Asia and the Western Pacific are expected to attend.

We are also preparing the stage for the holding of the ASEAN Ministers’ Conference towards the end of the year.

We are on-track towards achieving a balanced budget by 2010. The overall growth of government debt is declining, which is clear proof that fiscal reform is working and has already taken effect.

We expect our debt to further decline this year with the strengthening of the peso and an improvement in our credit ratings.

The government will continue to implement austerity measures to further beef up our coffers. We assure the public that despite the continuing payment of our debt, there will be substantial funds for our basic social services.

The Opposition and their allies have thrown everything, including the kitchen sink, against the President.

We expect these alleged witnesses to sing the same tune. But as far as we are concerned, the President’s win is a closed book.

The people are sick and tired of chronic destabilization attempts disguised as electoral inquiries.

The accusers of the President had their opportunity to substantiate their allegations but they failed to do so before the bar of impeachment.

The administration believes that the Vice-President’s clarification over a recent press interview resolves the issue and we appreciate his effort to explain his side.

While the opposition keeps resurrecting the issue of the Garci tapes, we prefer to move on and proceed with the actual work of governance.

CEBU CITY---President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called today on all people to reject terrorist violence by anyone at anytime in the name of religion.

"Terrorism is murder and no religion anywhere can abide by the faith of the faithless who kill and maim in the name of God," the President said in her keynote address during the opening of the Cebu Dialogue on Regional Interfaith Cooperation for Peace, Development and Human Dignity at the Shangri-la Mactan Island Resort Hotel this morning.

"Our challenge in promoting interfaith dialogue is to redeem the true meaning of our faith, if we are to truly bring peace and prosperity to the world," she said.

The President pointed out that interfaith dialogue is a historical truth among the world’s diverse peoples, creeds and beliefs. "It is the primordial seed of the human condition and offers hope, confidence, courage and commitment to make a better global neighborhood," she added.

The Chief Executive said one’s faith is the "great antidote to terrorism. Faith is the great antidote to godless ideologies. We must turn up the flame of faith and understanding as we help lower the sword of poverty and destruction."

Regrettably, however, the "story of faith has too often been twisted and has become a source of despair and destruction sometimes amongst peoples and nations. Our challenge in promoting interfaith dialogue is to redeem the true meaning of faith if we are to truly bring peace and prosperity in the world," she said.

The President pointed out that interfaith dialogue and cooperation, the cornerstone of her government, is an effective means in sustaining peace and security among multi-sectoral and multi-cultural communities.

She added that while most nations are now focused on building up on arms and military forces to thwart terrorism and extremism, the holding of interfaith dialogues and cooperation for peace, development and human dignity are equally important.

"We must follow our faith and have faith in each other if we are to truly lift up the poor, transform war into peace and stamp down intolerance and violence wrought by terrorism based on false reading of the divine message or a misuse of a divine message that those who misuse it do not believe in the first place," she said.

She urged dialogue participants to be united in faith despite the differences in their culture and beliefs and to come up with a sustainable action plan for achieving lasting peace.

The interfaith gathering has drawn nearly 200 participants from 15 countries from the Asia-Pacific and the Oceania regions.

The event is a follow-up to the "Dialogue of Interfaith Cooperation: Community Building and Harmony" held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia on Dec. 4-6, 2004.

The Indonesia dialogue was held to promote understanding and harmony in the region through interaction, networking and cooperation among leaders of various faiths and civil society groups.

At the end of the Cebu dialogue, the delegates will issue the Cebu Declaration on Regional Interfaith Cooperation for Peace, Development and Human Dignity.

Had President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo not proclaimed a state of national emergency at the height of a clear and present danger to the Republic three weeks ago, the country could now be living in a regime "where power comes out of the barrel of the gun."

This was the assessment of Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye in reaction to insinuations that the President could have acted overboard in issuing Proclamation 1017 last Feb. 24 to dismantle what she said was a conspiracy to bring down the government.

"We respect what people have to say about the declaration of the state of emergency," he said, "but we are certain that as the whole story unfolds about the broad conspiracy to tear down democratic government, they will understand that the President acted just in time and in commensurate measure in the interest of national security and stability."

One of those who questioned the legality of the President’s actions, retired Supreme Court Justice Vicente Mendoza, was quoted as saying that the Chief Executive "may be held responsible for sanctioning acts under Proclamation 1017, which are only allowed under a martial law regime."

Mendoza told a Senate subcommittee investigating human rights abuses during the state of national emergency yesterday that "Proclamation 1017 was merely a declaration of a factual situation and could not be used to justify acts which can only be done if martial law is imposed or the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended."

Bunye explained that there was a clear and present danger to the Repubic at that time and President Arroyo confronted it with commensurate force and vigilance "but adhering closely to Constitutional standards."

CEBU CITY--- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cited today the important role interfaith dialogue plays in the quest for a permanent and lasting peace and understanding in Mindanao.

In her keynote address at the opening of the three-day Cebu Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace and Development and Human Dignity, the President said if peace is finally achieved in Mindanao, it would be due in large measure to interfaith dialogue.

She also cited governmental cooperation and the "inter-governmental cooperation of friends and neighbors like Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and our more distant global partners in peace, in the Middle East, North America, Europe and Oceania" for the progress of the Mindanao talks.

Everyday, the "Philippines faces the test of individual faith and social tolerance" and "I’m happy to report to you that today … the historic divide between our Christian and Muslim neighbors is narrowing dramatically in our country," she said.

She attributed this positive development to "our focus on interfaith dialogue and a willingness to accept the sincerity of those who differ with us in faith."

The President said that through interfaith dialogue, she has reached out to other countries in the region and the whole world. "I had the good fortune and honor to lead the UN Security Council Informal Summit on Interfaith Dialogue."

She said her faith gives her the strength and wisdom to reach out and reach a common ground with those who do not share her beliefs as she has done in Mindanao.

"Faith is the great antidote to terrorism. Faith is the great antidote to Godless ideologies. We must turn up the flame of faith and understanding as we help lower the sword of poverty and destruction," she said.

The President added that the willingness to accept the sincerity of those who differ with the majority in faith is what interfaith dialogue is all about.

In the face of what it branded as obvious attempts by some sectors to stir up hysteria over the steps taken by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to thwart a power grab, Malacaņang assured the nation today that the government is in full control.

"We assure the people that the government is in full control and has not transgressed legal boundaries in exercising its right to thwart the enemies of democracy," Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said in a statement.

He expressed confidence that as the whole story of the broad conspiracy to topple the government unfolds, people will understand that the President acted in the nick of time and foiled the plot with measures commensurate to the overriding demands of preserving the country’s security and stability.

Bunye’s call for sobriety came amid intelligence reports that groups, which attempted but failed to overthrow the government last Feb. 24, were actively planning a new power grab on May 1, Labor Day.

At a time when the economy is growing, the nation must tone down the political heat and revert to normalcy so that tourists and investors "will continue to head our way," Bunye said.

"There is much to be optimistic about and we must hold on to our fervent hopes for the nation and do our best to contribute to its fulfillment," he said.

The Palace official welcomed the ongoing visit of New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and the decision of foreign groups to hold international conventions in the country as a good sign.

"We warmly welcome the Prime Minister of New Zealand to our country as well as the continued holding of several international conventions in the country," Bunye said.

He cited the opening of the 35^th Convention of the International Federation of Western Pacific Contractors Association in Manila tomorrow wherein the biggest construction and engineering firms in Asia and the Western Pacific are expected to attend.

"We are also preparing the stage for the holding of the ASEAN Ministers’ Conference towards the end of the year," he said.

CEBU CITY--- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formally welcomed to the country visiting New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark in this Queen City of the South this morning.

President Arroyo and Prime Minister Clark had a brief one-on-one meeting at the Camia Room of the Shangri-La Mactan Hotel before the Chief Executive delivered her speech at the opening ceremonies of the three-day Cebu Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace, Development and Human Dignity at the same hotel’s Ballroom 3 and 4.

The President also made mention of PM Clark's visit in her keynote address before some 200 dialogue participants from 15 countries from the Asia-Pacific and the Oceania regions.

"First of all, welcome to Prime Minister Helen Clark on the occasion of her state visit commemorating 40 years of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and the Philippines," the President said.

The two leaders, together with their Cabinet members, are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting later this afternoon at the Bohol Beach Club in Panglao Island, Bohol, where they are expected to discuss varying issues, including counter-terrorism and New Zealand's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The meeting is also expected to tackle issues that would further enhance the two countries’ relations that started 40 years ago, when New Zealand cross-accredited an ambassador to Manila from Hong Kong in 1966.

The New Zealand prime minister’s visit to the country came 20 years after the last dedicated bilateral visit to the Philippines made in 1986 by then Prime Minister David Lange.

Clark arrived in Manila Monday evening and she immediately flew to Cebu.

Malacaņang said today the claim by the opposition that it has witnesses ready to corroborate the alleged switching last year of ballot boxes containing valid election returns with tampered ones is just another part of "chronic destabilization attempts disguised as electoral inquiries."

Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye said he expected these witnesses, just as the other witnesses before them, to "sing the same tune."

"The opposition and their allies have thrown everything, including the kitchen sink, against the President. We expect these alleged witnesses to sing the same tune. But as far as we are concerned, the President’s win is a closed book," Bunye said in a statement.

He bewailed the opposition tactic of bringing the issue of alleged ballot box switching only now, saying they already had their opportunity to back up their claims of poll fraud during the impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives last year.

The Press Secretary was referring to the video showing certain individuals allegedly replacing valid election returns deposited at the House of Representatives for safekeeping last year.

Bunye earlier branded the supposed break-in "as another attempt at dirty tricks and psychological manipulation."

"The accusers of the President had their opportunity to substantiate their allegations but they failed to do so before the bar of impeachment," Bunye said.

He added that the people are already fed up and called for an end to too much politicking so that the needs of the people and the nation could be given the proper attention.