MANILA – Military and police generals pledged their support for embattled President Arroyo yesterday as a deepening corruption scandal unleashed a fresh wave of nationwide protests on the anniversary of the People Power revolt.
National police chief Avelino Razon imposed a week-long ban on carrying guns in public as a “preventive measure” to ensure order amid coup rumors. Guns are normally allowed on the streets with permits.
Razon and military chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon ruled out a repeat of the iconic 1986 uprising, when hundreds of thousands of unarmed protesters faced off against tanks and troops to end Ferdinand Marcos’ 20-year rule.
Thousands of demonstrators were out on the streets again Monday - left-wing protesters, Roman Catholic church-backed groups, students, teachers and civil society activists - demanding President Arroyo’s resignation at rallies held in 15 cities.
In Cebu, about 500 people marched from Fuente Osmeña to Colon St. to commemorate the uprising and to call for the resignation of President Arroyo.
About 500 people, meanwhile, were blocked by riot police from approaching the “people power” monument along Manila’s main thoroughfare.
More than 3,000 others marched to a historic bridge near the presidential palace, yelling “Gloria resign!” and “She’s evil.”
Some carried an effigy of Arroyo, her mouth stuffed with peso bills to depict her as corrupt.
A third anti-Arroyo group, led by former president and democracy icon Corazon Aquino, gathered for Mass in a suburban Manila church.
Protesters have been galvanized by anti-corruption hearings at the Senate that exposed an anomalous telecommunications contract that allegedly involved kickbacks to senior officials and the president’s husband.
All those involved have denied the allegations. But Arroyo caused more stir Saturday by acknowledging she was warned last April about possible corruption in the US$330 million contract with Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE Corp. - but signed it anyway, only to scrap it five months later.
She has ordered an investigation.
“Unity march”
After a flag-raising ceremony, about 20 military and police generals locked arms in a “unity march” with about 4,000 police officers in a move to dispel swirling coup rumors.
“This is our expression ... that our countrymen should not be concerned with rumors of destabilization,” said Esperon.
The military played key roles in the 1986 uprising as well as in 2001, when Joseph Estrada was toppled on corruption charges. Arroyo, Estrada’s vice president, took over the presidency and won her own six-year term in 2004, but critics accused her of cheating.
A losing bidder in the broadband project has testified in the Senate that Arroyo’s husband and the country’s elections chief - who has since quit - threatened him to make him abandon his proposal because they were allegedly promised huge commissions.
Opposition Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said he would urge Senate committees investigating the deal to look into Arroyo’s statement that she knew it was suspect and assess whether she violated anti-graft laws.
“We all know I am not perfect,” Arroyo said in a speech Sunday. “But I have worked hard every day to achieve positive and lasting change for the nation.” (AP)
