Thursday, July 21, 2005
Poe widow to attend Thursday grand rally in Davao
By Ben O. Tesiorna and Aurea Gerundio
DAVAO CITY -- The widow of the late presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. is expected to speak at the grand rally Thursday in Davao City. The rally is organized by several groups seeking the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Actress Susan Roces is set to arrive in the city via a private plane to attend the 5 p.m. rally in Rizal Park.
Before that, Roces will be holding a press conference at the Garden Oases at 1 p.m. and will proceed afterwards to the launching of the Gloria Step Down Movement (GSM).
Lawyer Jude Yap, regional spokesperson of the FPJ for President Movement, said this is Roces' first rally outside of Metro Manila, proof that she looks upon Dabawenyos as her friends and allies she could depend on in times of trials.
Unconfirmed reports said Roces will meet with some political and business leaders in the region.
Juland Suazo, Bayan secretary general for Southern Mindanao, said they expect at least 3,500 people to attend the rally.
He said that aside from Roces, Representatives Francis Escudero (Sorsogon), Satur Ocampo (Bayan Muna) and Joel Virador (Bayan Muna) will also be attending the rally along with other supporters of the late FPJ.
Thursday's grand rally is organized by the United Opposition, Bangon Pilipinas of Bro. Eddie Villanueva, Aksyon Demokratiko of Raul Roco, Bayan Muna, Gloria Step Down Movement and all other groups seeking for Arroyo's ouster.
Suazo said Thursday's rally is their initial salvo for bigger mass actions next week.
He said that from July 24 until July 27, the same groups will be holding nationwide rallies in time for the President's state of the nation address on July 25.
Suazo said in Davao City, they expect 10,000-15,000 protesters coming from all over the region to be joining the four-day rally.
He said this is to show to the people that contrary to claims of supporters of Arroyo in the region, Mindanaoans also clamor for the president's resignation.
As their counter-action to last week's Mindanao Political Leaders' Summit, Suazo said they will also hold a Mindanao Grassroots Leaders' Conference Thursday at the Garden Oases that would be attended by people's organizations, religious leaders, professionals and all the other sectors.
Asked of their security measures in Thursday's rally, Suazo said they had already coordinated with the City Government along with the Davao City Police Office and the Task Force Davao.
He admitted that they had been receiving reports about the plan of some groups to disrupt the rally.
The city police and task force are expected to field hundreds of police and soldiers in the area to prevent any untoward incident from happening. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(July 21, 2005 issue)
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