ILOILO -- Governors and a city mayor in Western Visayas allied with President Macapagal-Arroyo have demanded the resignation of policemen and officials involved in last Wednesday's armed assault of the Iloilo provincial capitol, Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez said yesterday.

"We call on those behind the barbaric assault to resign," Perez said in a telephone interview.

Perez, chairperson of the Regional Development Council, said she shares this stand with Governors Joseph Maranon (Negros Occidental), JC Rahman Nava (Guimaras), Carlito Marquez (Aklan), Vicente Bermejo (Capiz) and Roxas City Mayor Antonio del Rosario.

But Marañon yesterday said he is not asking for the resignation of policemen and officials responsible for the assault on the Iloilo Capitol last week to serve a dismissal order on Gov. Niel Tupas.

"I am asking that an investigation be conducted first to serve due process and for proper sanctions to be taken against those found guilty of the use of excessive force at the Iloilo Capitol," he said.

He said Antique Gov. Sally Zaldivar Perez called him up about coming up with a resolution on the Iloilo incident but he has not seen the resolution yet.

Guimaras Gov. Nava yesterday also said the governors of Western Visayas have yet to meet on the Iloilo incident. He said he had not called for resignations.

Meanwhile, Senior Supt. Pedro Merced, 6th Regional Mobile Group chief, who led the RMG troops who entered the Iloilo Capitol reiterated yesterday that they had not committed any violation.

"I am very sure we will be vindicated in the end," Merced said.

Perez said the Western Visayas officials issued the call because the assault "brought shame to the President and a black eye for the country in the international community."

"The attack brought turmoil in Western Visayas and to the peace-loving people of the region. This has never happened here before," Perez said.

The assault, launched after Tupas refused to abide by the order of the Ombudsman dismissing him and two provincial board members from office for graft acts, has been condemned by the Commission on Human Rights and other officials for excessive use of force against unarmed civilians.

Around 200 anti-riot policemen and heavily armed members of the Regional Mobile Group destroyed glass doors and iron gates when they stormed the capitol. Several supporters of Tupas, employees and journalists were hurt in the operation.

The CHR and the police are conducting separate investigations of the incident but Chief Supt. Wilfredo Dulay, Western Visayas police chief, had earlier admitted that some members of the assault force had excesses committed in the operation.

Perez said they are concerned with the impact of the assault on the region's image and on the tourism industry coming just days before the the Ati-Atihan festival in the capital town of Kalibo, and a week before the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City.

"This might create a negative impact on our tourism programs which is a priority of the President," said Perez.

She said the policemen and officers who were involved in the operation will no longer be welcome in Western Visayas and will be considered persona non grata.

Police officials who commanded the assault force will not be appointed to posts in the region, Perez also said. "They have no more business being in Region VI."

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Saturday defended the policemen in the assault saying they were merely implementing lawful orders after they received reports that armed supporters of Tupas were inside the capitol.

Gonzalez had said it was unfair to blame the policemen for the operation when they were just responding to the putting up of barricades and locking of doors in the capitol.

But Perez said the controversial operation has created a backlash against the President "who had nothing to do" with the dismissal of Tupas and the armed assault on the capitol.

Perez said the President had agreed to the request of Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines and Union of Local Authorities of the Philippies, to give Tupas 72 hours starting last Wednesday to give up his post.

Perez said she and Aumentado had offered to go the Iloilo provincial capitol and ask Tupas to step down if the deadline lapses without a court order stopping his dismissal.

But Perez said the Department of Interior and Local Government and police officials did not listen to Aumentado who had instructions from the President to convey her decision to give Tupas 72 hours to leave his post. "They defied the President's orders and now she is being blamed for the actions of some of her people," said Perez. She refused to name the officials saying they are already known to the public.

Perez said the President was busy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings in Cebu when the dismissal orders against local officials were issued by the Ombudsman and DILG.*NPB/CPG

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