Arroyo: Emergency rule in Maguindanao to stay

Nearly three months after the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said there are still no plans to lift the state of emergency in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces and in Cotabato city. But she clarified on Tuesday that the areas are already safe for travel and that she is only waiting for the recommendation from the Army whether to lift the emergency rule. "So far there's no recommendation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines to lift the state of emergency," Mrs. Arroyo told the press in Davao City.

Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat provinces and Cotabato city were placed under a state of emergency last November 24, in the wake of the massacre of 58 people, to avert the further escalation of violence. [See: Maguindanao placed under state of emergency] The state of emergency stayed even after Maguindanao was placed under an eight-day martial rule last December to address a supposed "brewing rebellion" by the supporters of the powerful Ampatuan clan members who were linked to the massacre. Meanwhile, Mrs. Arroyo is set to visit Maguindanao on Wednesday, but she dismissed speculations that her very first visit in the province since the killing took place was security related. She said her scheduled trip to the province on Wednesday was in connection with her Mindanao Agribusiness Super Region legacy tour. Mrs. Arroyo will be spending the week in Mindanao after launching the said event.- LBG, GMANews.TV