Security Council may be convened

President Estrada may convene the National Security Council (NSC) after Congress resumes session next Monday, Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said yesterday.

Zamora said the Chief Executive must call an NSC meeting in light of the military operation to rescue hostages in Basilan and Sulu and the suspension of peace talks by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives, including chairmen of key committees of the two chambers, are NSC members.

"The senators and congressmen are still out of Metro Manila now," he said. "The moment the sessions resume, perhaps we can convene again the National Security Council."

The President last convened the NSC Executive Committee at Malacañang last March 17.

Zamora said the Cabinet's Cluster E on defense and national security has been meeting daily to discuss the situation in Mindanao in the meantime that the NSC has not been convened.

Cluster E is chaired by Zamora. Its members are tional Security Adviser Alexander Aguirre, Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Manuel Yan, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr.

When The STAR tried to get in touch with Aguirre yesterday, his office said that Aguirre was on official leave starting yesterday and on vacation in the US.

Aguirre is director general of the NSC secretariat which sets the council's meetings.

Zamora said the government will keep open the line of communications with the MILF but that guerrillas would not be allowed to continue occupying the Narciso Ramos highway in Maguidanao province.

"Of course, the MILF was saying they will not agree to that," he said. "So we expect there will be battles there. In fact, there is violence going on right now."

Assistant Press Secretary Mike Toledo, on the other hand, said the government was committed to a resumption of peace talks with the MILF. -