Shootout in wealthy suburb will test Arroyo's backbone

President faces pressure to act against the gun-slinging son of a supporter

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo faces an early test of her administration's moral backbone after a political supporter's son was involved in a Wild West-style shootout in an exclusive Manila suburb.

Senator Robert Jaworski's 30-year-old son Ryan took part in a 10-minute gunbattle on a street in San Juan, a Manila suburb that is home to wealthy ethnic Chinese and politicians, including deposed president Joseph Estrada's family.

The senator claims his son was hit in the legs in the shootout with a businessman's son Anjelo Yap, 14, who was unhurt. Police recovered at least 60 M-16, 9mm and .45-calibre bullets from the scene in Florida Street East but details of the incident are sketchy with no witnesses coming forward and both combatants staying silent.

Police said the senator's son earlier sent a text message to the young Yap's cellular phone saying: 'Get ready, bullets are going to rain on you ... let's fight to the death.'

Six cars parked in the area, including that of a senior police official who was meeting fellow officers in a nearby restaurant, were riddled with bullets in the incident on Monday evening.

So far no arrests have been made in relation to the incident and police have not talked of laying attempted murder charges, instead characterising it as 'a children's quarrel'.