Solons question EO 493 creating IALAG

Administration and opposition congressmen on Thursday opposed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s creation of an inter-agency legal action group (IALAG) that would handle cases on national security concerns saying it is only a waste of people’s money and a duplication of functions of the existing government agencies. Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante and House minority floor leader and Sorsogon Rep. Francis Escudero slammed Executive Order (EO) No. 493 which paved the way for the creation of IALAG to address specific offenses against national security concerns such as rebellion, sedition and related actions. Abante, a member of the administration dominant party’s Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), believes that there are enough competent agencies that would handle the so-called “destabilizers" in the government. He said the initial funding given by Arroyo to IALAG amounting to P50 million should instead be allotted to pro-poor programs. “There are enough competent agencies to handle national security concerns, that is only an additional expense to the cash-strapped government and the people cannot afford it," Abante said. Escudero, secretary-general of the United Opposition (UNO), said Arroyo is “over-reacting." The House minority leader said the order shows that Malacañang is the one destabilizing itself as this would send wrong signal to the already worried businessmen doing business in the country. “Praning na talaga sila and it sows alarm among our people as well as the business sector each time they over react in this manner," Escudero said. The IALAG will be composed of representatives from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department National Defense (DND), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). As this developed, Escudero also questioned EO 492 tasking National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales to head the Maritime Aerial Reconaissance and Surveillance program with the help of NICA to intensify the guarding of the Southeast Asian maritime borders through the purchase or lease of unmanned spy planes and surveillance equipment. “If the intention is really border patrol, then it should have been placed under the Coast Guard or the Department of Transportation and Communications, not NICA," Escudero said. -GMANEWS.TV