Thursday, October 02, 2008 Bacolod cops ‘embarrassed’ by anti-GMA protest By Merlinda A. Pedrosa
FIVE members of Task Force Mapalad (TFM) were nabbed by anti-riot policemen during a protest rally that greeted the arrival of President Gloria Arroyo, who graced Wednesday’s opening of the 29th MassKara Festival.
Senior Insp. Luisito Acebuche, commander of the Bacolod City Police Office station 1 that has jurisdiction over the public plaza, was reportedly embarrassed that more than a dozen TFM members slipped through the tight security cordon put up by the combined Presidential Security Group, the military and the police. They flaunted placards and shouted at Arroyo who was to deliver her speech.
Acebuche said they already expected militant groups to hold a rally and admitted they could not really secure the place since it is an open area with hundreds trooping to the plaza to witness the opening ceremony.
But he said he did not expect that the rallyists would be able to get inside the plaza and slipped through security. The rallyists reportedly blended with the crowd and hid their placards and banners. When Arroyo arrived and was to start her speech, they then unfurled their banners which read “Oust Gloria”, “Sweldo Barato, Presyo Panubuon” and “Expand the Carp”, among others, and shouted at her.
Those arrested were named as Everlito P. Algona, 40, Herminigildo E. Padilla, 41, and Bonifacio I. Algona, 20, all from Hacienda Paraiso in La Carlota City; Noel D. Estares 21, and Gerardo A. Batalla, 56, both of Hacienta Grande in La Castellana.
Acebuche said the police would file charges of inciting to sedition, public scandal, and illegal assembly against them.
Meanwhile, TFM denounced the arrest, saying the rally was peaceful and the farmers have very legitimate demands.
“All they wanted was to remind President Arroyo of her promise, declared publicly last May, that Hacienda Bacan would be distributed to the farmer-beneficiaries,” said TFM president Jose Rodito Angeles in a statement.
Pastor Emmanuel Alano, convener and spokesman of the multi-sector group Negros CARP Reform Movement (NCRM), said the arrest of the farmers reflects the palpable intolerance of the Arroyo administration to legitimate protests and grievances of the people.
Angeles said the farmers wanted to call the attention of President Arroyo to the continuing delay in the distribution of Hacienda Bacan, owned by the family of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, despite its undergoing property valuation conducted by the Land Bank of the Philippines.
