Arroyo tells Pope she's awake on RP killings

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo assured Pope Benedict XVI that her government is taking measures to solve the problem of political killings in the country, a Malacañang official said on Monday. Marciano Paynor Jr, chief presidential protocol officer, told reporters that Mrs Arroyo, in a black dress, had a 10-minute conversation with the Pope at the Vatican City’s Papal Library for Apostolic Palace at 5 p.m. (Manila time), which included a discussion on the cases of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. Paynor said the President told the Pope that her government is sincere in solving political killings as shown by the steps that she has taken. He said Mrs Arroyo and her entourage of 14 people were welcomed at the Papal residence by the Prefect of the Papal Household. In his past homilies, the Pope made an indirect reference to the killings in the Philippines by stressing the need to respect life. Paynor said Mrs Arroyo gave the Pope an image of the Sto. Nino Dormido(sleeping Sto. Nino) made of elephant ivory that was hand-carved during the late 80s. He said the statue is adorned with a 14-karat solid gold tapis and tres potencies. It also has a waistband made of 19th century repousse in solid silver. The Pope agreed to Mrs Arroyo’s invitation to visit the country. Philippine ambassador to Vatican Leonidas Vera said the Pope might be able to visit the Philippines in 2008 while traveling Asia. Vera, however, said the visit would depend on the 81-year-old Pontiff’s health. The Pope had two strokes before he assumed the Catholic church’s top position. After their meeting, Vera said Mrs Arroyo introduced her party to the Pope. Among them were foreign affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and his wife, Speaker Jose de Venecia's wife Georgina, Undersecretary for religious affairs Nena Valdez, presidential daughter-in-law Angela, Assumption Alumni Association president Baby Herrera, Vera and Paynor - GMANews.TV