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Thursday, July 01, 2004
Militant groups, Poe supporters clash with cops
By Mia E. Abellana & Garry Cabotaje Sun.Star Staff Reporters
With Karlon N. Rama
NO ONE wanted violence.
However, one was taken to the hospital while another one suffered a gash in his right arm after militant groups clashed with members of the police civil disturbance management (CDM) team yesterday morning.
Some 200 members of Bagong Alyansang Maka-bayan (Bayan) called the police cordon a “hostage-taking” after they were not allowed to leave when they wanted to go home.
Blocked
Members of Bayan and their sectoral organizations, Anakpawis, Gabriela and Kadamay arrived at 9:15 a.m., but were immediately blocked by a platoon of CDM personnel.
Bayan Cebu chairman Paul Rodriguez first negotiated with police task force commander Senior Supt. Ronald Roderos at P. del Rosario St. and Osmeña Blvd. about 10 a.m.
Rodriguez told Roderos that he wanted to bring his group up to Fuente Osme-ña so they could rally in front of the Department of Energy office, to propose the scrapping of the oil deregulation law.
Too many
Roderos did not yield, saying there were too many of them. “Kung isa lang, pwede,” Roderos said.
As President Arroyo took her oath at the Capitol grounds at noon, the militant groups, including supporters of defeated presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr., staged a five-minute noise barrage.
“More protests will happen in the next few days. We will not stop until she (Arroyo) accepts the challenge of the opposition to have a snap election to prove that her victory is genuine,” said Edward Ligas, Poe’s Cebu-based leader.
‘Empty rhetoric’
Both Ligas and Lito Vasquez, Cebu Freedom from Debt Coalition secretary-general, said the 8 a.m. inaugural speech of Arroyo at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila was nothing but “empty rhetoric.”
The rallyists first assembled outside Gaisano Metro on Colon St.
But a phalanx of policemen, carrying sticks and truncheons, backed by Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) teams, blocked them when they marched toward Osmeña Blvd. and Sanciangko St.
The Task Force Panunumpa also used multicabs, police vehicles and two fire trucks as its first line of defense.
Violation
In a separate interview, lawyer Democrito Barcenas said the Arroyo admi-nistration’s position against rallies and protests violates the Constitution and the police, by using “excessive force against protesters” can be held liable.
He said he will bring the matter up to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City Chapter, which he heads. Barcenas also offered to help the protesters if they want to file charges.
Roderos and Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau Chief Pablo Labra II led the CDM men in blocking the rallyists.
The CDM drove the demonstrators to the right lane of Osmeña Blvd. so they could walk to Colon St. where militant members mocked police and fire personnel.
Brief scuffle
A brief scuffle ensued, which resulted to a small gash in the right forearm of Arthur Josenario, 22, a member of Kadamay.
Instead of heading to Colon, the group turned to Sanciangko St., where a Bayan supporter hit the CDM’s shield with a bamboo pole.
This prompted CDM personnel to start fighting back by hitting the protesters and their vehicle with rattan sticks.
Enario Taborada, a member of Anakpawis Minglanilla peasant sector, was taken to the Cebu City Medical Center after he suffered a gash on his head.
The police only allowed the rallyists to pass at 12:15 p.m. after they were told that the President had left the Capitol grounds.
(July 1, 2004 issue)
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