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Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Malacañang South plays ballads to avoid facing protesters’ music
After the Capitol, it is now the Malacañang sa Sugbo that uses loud music against rallyists gathered for the Gloria Step-down Movement (GSM).
Bayan Muna Cebu chairman Paul Rodriguez, who led some 200 protesters, called authorities “bastos” (rude) after a failed negotiation with police officers to turn off the music.
Rodriguez, however, credited the police for showing interest in listening to their speeches.
Unfortunately, their voices could barely be heard because of the music from the Malacañang sa Sugbo.
Rodriguez noted that the same tactic was used against them at the Provincial Capitol.
Ballads and other mellow music was heard issuing from loudspeakers at the Plaza Independencia yesterday.
The Capitol had used loud, disco music.
Drowned out
Rodriguez accused officials of not showing interest in hearing their cries of injustice.
The rallyists had lambasted the government’s failure to deliver social services for the poor and complained about cuts in the education budget.
But Waterfront Police Station Chief Marciano Batiancela Jr. observed that the rally was peaceful, compared to their previous violent clash with protesters.
Two platoons from the Regional Mobile Group were dispatched, to add to a platoon from the Cebu City Police Office.
One fire truck was also on standby.
There was tension, though, when one of the rallyists tried to open the padlock of the gates with his keys, but police officers immediately took action and hit the hand of Edward Felipe, who immediately stopped.
The police then sternly warned the rallyists against another attempt to open the padlocks.
It was the fourth time for the Gloria Step-down Movement to air their call for President Arroyo to resign.
Rodriguez said they hope the government would see that they will sustain their movement until they achieve their goal.
“We want to prove that GSM is not only active in Manila but also here in Cebu. This is a national movement,” he said. (LLV)
(August 24, 2005 issue)
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