Drilon condemns police action,
calls for Gonzalez, Puno to quit
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Senator Franklin Drilon yesterday called for the resignation of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Local Governments Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Chief Superintendent Wilfredo Dulay - Western Visayas police director, and the members of the Regional Mobile Group for the siege on the Iloilo Capitol last week.

The 6th RMG men from Negros Occidental who entered the Iloilo Capitol on January 17 to serve a dismissal order on Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas, were headed by Senior Supt. Pedro Merced, former Bacolod police director.

"It was a showcase of police brutality that provoked outrage and condemnation all over the country. Those responsible must tender their resignations as soon as possible," Drilon said in a privilege speech delivered before the Senate yesterday.

WV governors ask Arroyo
to order probe on officials
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Gov. Joseph Marañon yesterday signed a resolution of the five governors of Western Visayas urging President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to order an investigation of high government officials, the Department of Interior and Local Government and Philippine National Police personnel who were involved in the Iloilo provincial capitol siege on Jan. 17.

Marañon said the resolution he signed yesterday was sent to him by Gov. Sally Zaldivar-Perez, chairperson of the Regional Development Council of Western Visayas.

The resolution of the governors will be sent to the president through Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines.

MAYOR SAYS
Gov't center case
'propaganda'
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, with engineer Perry Miranda (right), visits the new government center site, where construction has already started.*

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said he believes the civil case seeking the declaration of nullity of the contract between the Bacolod City government and Hilmarc's Construction Corp. for the construction of the Bacolod City Government Center has no chance to prosper.

The case against Leonardia, the members of the Bids and Awards Committee, Hilmarc's Construction Corp., and the 10 councilors who authorized the Mayor to enter into an agreement with the winning bidder, had been filed individually Friday by Miguel Carriedo, Jesus Lazaro, Ben Solilapsi, Allan Calilan and Abrahan Tingson, who are all identified with the KABALAKA group. Leonardia said it is sad that there are people who want to sabotage the project, which is a 40-year-old dream of the people of Bacolod City.