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The Philippine government will not allow the entry of U.S. troops to intervene and act along with the Filipino soldiers in times of internal emergency that might be caused by left-wing and separatist insurgents, as reported by critics, said a senior official.

President Gloria Arroyo has singled out the 33-year-old Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) as the only leftist group with a terrorist military armed component, the New People's Army (NPA).

Representatives of the Philippines and the U.S. governments will sign the controversial Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) in three months, said a senior official, prompting critics from leftist groups and the bicameral Congress to accuse the executive of being secretive about the content of the proposed accord.

President Gloria Arroyo yesterday called for the filing of charges against corrupt justices and incompetent prosecutors who were very lenient with smugglers, drug lords and kidnappers.

Three policemen and 10 students were injured as pro and anti-U.S. groups clashed as they tried to hold rallies in front of the U.S. embassy in Manila's Roxas Boulevard.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday congratulated President Gloria Arroyo in her efforts to widen an anti-terror campaign among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Vice-President Teofisto Guing-ona has attacked U.S. President George W. Bush for his pre-emptive war policy against terrorists, saying it could unwittingly endanger world peace.

Hector Janjalani, older brother of Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani, had ordered the kidnapping of American hostage Jeffrey Schilling in Sulu, southern Philippines, in September 2000, said an arrested Abu Sayyaf member.

The United States is trying to prevent a peace settlement between the Philippine government and the communist National Democratic Front (NDF) because it wants to make the country a battleground between the U.S. and the communists, the founding chairman of the 35-year old Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), Jose Maria Sison, has said.

Fourteen people were killed and six others were missing yesterday due to landslides and rising flash floods in Negros Oriental, central Philippines, and in Metro Manila's Rizal, as tropical depression Milenyo left the central Philippines on Monday night and headed for central Luzon, authorities said.

President Gloria Arroyo has called for the government to continue holding talks with the communist National Democratic Front (NDF) following the threat of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison to withdraw from the on and off peace talks with the government, a senior official said.

The communist National Democratic Front (NDF) has confirmed that the formal and informal peace talks with the government will push through despite contrary statements from President Gloria Arroyo and exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman, Jose Maria Sison.