|
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Cops hose down protesters led by ex-vice president
By Jonathan F. Fernandez and Marie S. Neri
MANILA -- Police turned water cannons on protesters led by former vice president Teofisto Guingona as they marched Friday night near the presidential palace to call for the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
About 1,000 protesters held a prayer rally at a nearby plaza and were headed to a school near the palace to hold a religious service when a phalanx of riot police pushed them back with shields before turning on the water jets.
Aside from Guingona, also drenched were Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal, militant priest Fr. Robert Reyes, former executive secretary Oscar Orbos, former social welfare secretary Corazon Soliman, party-list congressmen, leaders of the Catholic Church, and other opposition personalities.
"This is a prayer rally. They have no right to stop us," said former Vice President Teofisto Guingona. "I think this is an illustration of how violative this government can be."
Police made no arrests and no one was seriously hurt.
Over 100 participants of the prayer rally attempted to go to the Mendiola Bridge to reach the San Beda Church, which is situated near the span, to hold a prayer rally there "as indicated in their permit issued by the City Government of Manila" but policemen blocked them along C.M Recto Avenue and trained water cannons on them.
The participants came from the Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila and San Sebastian Church where they held a prayer rally before they proceeded to the Mendiola Bridge.
The government prohibits the holding of any rally at the Mendiola Bridge, which is situated several meters away from Malacañang Palace.
The marchers insisted that their permit allowed them to go to the San Beda Church to hold a prayer rally there with students of the school but the policemen did not agree. When the rallyists forced their way to the bridge, the policemen hosed them down.
Guingona criticized the act saying the policemen have no right to prevent them from getting to the San Beda Church. He said they would not leave the area until they reach the church.
Caloocan City Bishop Deogracias Iniguez, one of the organizers of the rally, said the incident now calls for a strong public response to the harsh policies being imposed by the Arroyo Government.
He said, "The moral situation affects the political situation of the country and this is the reason why the bishops want to know the truth."
Father Reyes, who was also one of the rally organizers, said the mere fact that the policemen prevented the rallyists from reaching their destination only showed that the government "does not trust even the servants of the Lord."
"This is not a rally. The bishops are here and they say the rosary. A procession for peace, for enlightenment, it is primarily all the attempts of the government to re-impose some form of martial rule," he said.
Later, the protesters were allowed to hold a brief rally before they dispersed voluntarily without further incident.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Vidal Querol said the protestors should understand that they were just implementing Batasan Pambansa (BP) 880, which covers the no permit, no rally and calibrated preemptive response policies of the government.
Querol said the participants of the rally had no permit to go to Mendiola Bridge so that the policemen dispersed them. He, however, said he directed his police officials, who were in-charge of the area, to talk to the organizers to avoid a repeat of the incident.
He said his men will find ways wherein the participants could hold a prayer rally but not use the Mendiola Bridge as a venue for their activity.
As of 8 p.m. Friday, negotiations between the police and the protestors were still ongoing. (Sunnex/With AP)
(October 15, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
