. NEWS ROUNDUP .

'PCGG execs' US trip official, not junket'

THE Presidential Commission on Good Government said the travel of PCGG officials led by chairman Camilo Sabio to attend oral arguments before the US Supreme Court today on the $40 million ill-gotten wealth of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos today is "purely official and not a junket."

"The travel of Chairman Camilo Sabio and PCGG personnel is covered by a travel authority that directs the chairman to perform certain responsibilities and his presence together with PCGG officials is crucial in the ongoing litigation on the Arelma account in the United States," PCGG information chief Nick Suarez said.

Suarez said Sabio's daughter May was not part of the PCGG entourage because she does not work for the commission. He said Sabio's wife Marlene left with him for the States but the Sabios are paying for her expenses.

Suarez also denied reports that members of Sabio's party were given $10,000 dollars each for fare and allowance. He said the travel allowance given the group, which he did not specify, "are in accordance with established standard rate for all officials and employes of the government." - Ashzel Hachero

NOT having its own radio frequency and failure to reach an agreement with the Armed Forces on how long it will borrow one of two radio frequencies belonging to the military is stalling the establishment of the Philippine National Police's radio station.

A source said the PNP and AFP have yet to agree on the number of years the AFP will let the PNP use its amplitude modulation (AM) frequency 1170 khz. The AFP's other AM radio frequency, 1134 khz, dwDD, serves as the AFP radio while 1170 khz is assigned to the military's Office of the Civil Defense.

The source said PNP wants to use 1170 khz for at least 20 years but the AFP is willing to lend it for only three to five years.

The PNP wants to have its own AM radio station to provide the public with real time coverage of news events concerning the police, and to give the public advisories, especially during calamities. Having its own radio station will also save it money since it will not have to pay for air time in commercial radio stations.- Raymond Africa

Cavite asks MMDA to solve traffic woes

THE MMDA will soon lend its traffic management expertise to the rest of Cavite to ease the worsening traffic congestion in the area.

Engr. Noemi Recio, head of the planning and construction division of the MMDA's TrafficEngineering Center, said MMDA will begin with sidewalk clearing operations from SM Bacoor to Tagaytay City to clear away illegal structures that obstruct traffic flow on the 40 kilometer-long Aguinaldo Highway.