PANGLAO, Bohol -- Solicitor General Alfredo Benipayo was not sacked, he resigned to return to the private sector, Presidential Chief of Staff Secretary Michael Defensor said today.

Defensor said that although he did not talk directly with Benipayo, he was informed by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez that Benipayo resigned to return to private practice.

"This is different from the Hyatt 10 situation," Defensor told newsmen at the Bohol Beach Club here, referring to the surprised resignation of 10 Cabinet officials last year.

The situation is quite different from the case of the Hyatt 10 because Benipayo personally informed Gonzalez of his plan to resign ahead of his actual resignation, he said.

Defensor said Benipayo's resignation would not affect government cases pending at the Supreme Court, adding that most of the legal legwork on the cases are being handled by lawyers under the Office of the Solicitor General.

"This will not in any way affect the government cases at the Supreme Court," he said.

Defensor said a search committee will be formed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to look for Benipayo’s replacement after she receives the SolGen’s letter of resignation.

PANGLAO, Bohol -- Presidential Chief of Staff Secretary Michael Defensor issued today a strong appeal to former Sen. Gringo Honasan to surface and face the charges leveled against him in connection with last month's aborted coup attempt.

Defensor told members of the media at the Bohol Beach Club here that the government is willing to extend to Honasan all the courtesies and assistance provided under the Constitution.

"He is a good friend. If he is really innocent then he should face his accusers in order to clear his name," Defensor said.

The manhunt for Honasan and other suspected conspirators has been intensified amid reports that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would release anytime today a wanted list containing the names of suspects linked to the failed coup.

The DOJ is expected to put up rewards for information leading to the arrest of those allegedly involved in the coup plot.

Defensor said the government has strong evidence showing the existence of a tactical alliance between the ultra rightist and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in the plot to bring down the government.

PANGLAO, Bohol -- The Philippines will spearhead the launching next week of the Tripartite Inter-Religious Dialogue for Peace, Development and Human Dignity at the United Nations, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said last night.

The dialogue will bring together governments and civil society in a common effort toward a better understanding among peoples of different faiths and religions leading to world peace.

Romulo briefed members of the media on the forthcoming inter-religious dialogue following the bilateral meeting Tuesday night between Philippine and New Zealand officials led by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Prime Minister Helen Clark at the Bohol Beach Club here.

"We all believe that in order to have lasting peace in the region, as well as in the world, it is important to understand each other's faith and religion," Romulo said

He said he reported to the participants of the three-day interfaith dialogue in Cebu that the Philippines would launch the tripartite inter-religious dialogue at the UN on March 24.

Fifteen countries and about 200 delegates participated in the Cebu dialogue, which was co-sponsored by the Philippines, New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia.

After President Arroyo first espoused interfaith dialogues in an address before the UN General Assembly meeting, interfaith conferences have been held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in 2004 and Australia in 2005.

New Zealand will host next year’s interfaith dialogue.

"Of course the countries represented in this interfaith dialogue in Cebu are part of that program. I reminded the people in Cebu and the countries represented there that we hope they will be there during the March 24 launching at the United Nations because the tripartite would bring together the governments, the UN agencies, civil society, and non-government organizations," Romulo said.

The DFA chief said interfaith dialogues work, as shown by the result of the government’s efforts to establish lasting peace in Mindanao after decades of conflict.

Romulo said that because of the continuing dialogue between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), armed clashes between the military and MILF members have been avoided for almost three years now.

The President respects the decision of Solicitor General Alfredo Benipayo as she accepts his resignation with regret.

We would prefer not to discuss or speculate on the reasons behind his decision to quit as this is a matter between him and the appointing authority.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has always wielded its legitimate power for the interest of the nation; and the only reason why the military has been dragged into controversy is because of persistent attempts by shadowy groups to twist the ideals of the corps and the ranks, in which they have failed again and again.

The AFP stands behind the Constitution, the people and the Presidency and it will continue to do so.

This Government has never acted out of whim or caprice, but only under the principle of public necessity and the national welfare. Be that as it may, the courts are fully open to receive challenges to official actions, and to rule on them. The Bill of Rights is in force.

The press is not a target of censorship but some members of the press have been charged with violations of law and shall be prosecuted just like any ordinary citizen.

We believe in the freedom of the press but we do not believe in special treatment of media practitioners who run afoul of the law.

Peace, unity and reconciliation are an integral policy of this administration but we will never allow it to be exploited to undermine the political system itself.

The Government shall talk peace with those who earnestly desire it, but it will preempt any and all conspiracies, separate or combined, to destroy the Republic.

We share in the optimism of the Department of Finance that our goal of a balanced budget will be achieved by end of 2008.

After being sidelined for years by "systemic defects" in its political system that hampered infrastructure and economic growth, the Philippines is now determined to return to the international investment scene with a stronger economy brought about by the government’s fiscal reforms.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced this piece of good news today in her keynote speech opening the 35^th International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Contractors Association (IFAWPCA) Convention at the Hotel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City.

"For many years, we languished in sick bay. Our efforts for growth were perennially stumped by systemic defects, including the fact that we could not do any infrastructure in government unless we borrowed for it," the President said.

"We seemed to live in two countries: one raring and eager to join our neighbors but the other unable to rid itself of the stumbling blocks. But we are determined to return to the international investment scene in construction and other fields," she added.

The President said that this determination, along with "a series of privatization efforts" and the implementation of the Expanded Value Added Tax (E-VAT) Law, made "critical infrastructure projects" in the Philippines possible.

"The North Expressway to Clark has been completed after so many groundbreaking ceremonies over several administrations. The Southern Tagalog Access Road (STAR) to Batangas, the Clark-Subic Highway and other multibillion-peso infrastructure projects are underway, among others," she said.

The President also mentioned the Strong Republic Nautical Highway or the Roll-on Roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry service that consists of a series of ports and highways linking the islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao as part of the infrastructure program of the government.

She said that "taking the bull by the horns" in implementing the government’s privatization program and the E-VAT Law have led to the lofty perch from where the economy now stands.

"We took the bulls by the horns when we cut down our debt service by plugging the financial leaks, clamping down on excessive government spending and raising our revenues through a series of privatization efforts and the flagship Expanded Value Added Tax (E-VAT) law," the President said.

She stressed that barely a year after these measures were implemented, the country is now experiencing the "first fruits of economic reforms." The E-VAT law was implemented last November.

"The peso is up, the strongest currency in the region. Inflation is manageable in spite of the fact that the doomsayers said that if we impose those new tax measures, inflation would hit the ceiling. And portfolio investments have been increasing, the second fastest portfolio investment stock market increase index in the region," the President said.

She pointed out that if these fiscal reforms were not implemented, "we would not have been able to raise our own means to finance" the government’s infrastructure programs.

"Now that we can finance our own infrastructure projects without having to resort to borrowings, we expect construction output to grow 13 percent this year," the President added.

She called on the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA), the organizer of the convention which coincided with the 50^th anniversary of the IFAWPCA, to participate in the country’s infrastructure development project.

"I would like to congratulate the PCA, your convention host for this year, for being the government’s faithful partner for national growth. Construction is the mortar that holds all fronts of development," the Chief Executive said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expressed today the country’s gratitude to the foreign rescue workers, military and police, civilian groups and individual volunteers, who she dubbed as the heroes of Saint Bernard, for coming to the aid of the victims of the mudslides that buried Barangay Guinsaugon in Saint Bernard town in Southern Leyte last month.

"In behalf of grateful Filipino people, I salute your heroism and sense of humanity," the President said during the thanksgiving lunch tendered in their honor at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall.

The special lunch was tendered by Malacanang in recognition of the efforts of the men, women and governments who took part in the massive search and recovery operations in disaster-hit Saint Bernard.

Honored by the President were the policemen, soldiers, medical professionals, social workers, government volunteers, average citizens, local and international non-governmental organizations and agencies, foreign governments, local government units, national and foreign media.

She said the Malacanang affair was her modest way of expressing the government‘s gratitude for the role played by the rescue workers in saving lives and for their exemplary act of concern for the victims of the tragedy and their families.

"To the heroes of Saint Bernard, once again please accept the gratitude of our nation for being there when we needed you most. The crying moments that as a people, we surmounted through will and unity have proven once more the inherent capability and character of the Filipino to overcome and also have proven once more that the world is a kind place to leave in and people are good," she said.

The President personally distributed Presidential Citations to the representatives of eight foreign rescue contingents, 57 rescue units from the military and police, 13 civilian rescue volunteers and 238 individual volunteers.

The foreign rescue volunteers, who participated in the search and recovery operations in Saint Bernard, were the Malaysian Rescue Contingent, US Marines, Spanish Rescue Contingents, Turkish Rescue Contingents, Thai Volunteers, Indonesian Volunteers, Australian Volunteers and Taiwanese Volunteers.

The President reiterated that the disaster that hit Saint Bernard was "a wake up call for a comprehensive response to what we need to do with the environment in close partnership with the communities, the church, the business sector, the academe and the local government units."

The President also thanked the mining industry for helping and actively participating in the rescue operations

"But let me take this opportunity to say that we will only consider mining investments which commit to fully abide by stringent policies to keep our rivers and eco-system clean and safe. And violators shall be dealt with heavily," she said.

She said she was deeply saddened that instead of joining hands to save mudslide victims in Saint Bernard, her detractors and political foes took advantage of the national tragedy to launch another attempt to overthrow the government.