ANTI-GMA RALLIES SET NATIONWIDE WITH EDSA 1 ANNIVERSARY TODAY
MANILA, FEBRUARY 25, 2008 (STAR) Anti-Arroyo rallies are set nationwide today to coincide with the 22nd anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.Protest actions are set in Baguio City, Calamba, Legazpi, Naga, Sorsogon, Daet, Masbate, Virac, Davao, Butuan, Surigao, Tandag, Bislig and Cagayan de Oro City.
“Despite the dirty tactics being employed by the Arroyo regime in securing rally venues, we are confident that (today’s) protest actions will be successful,” said Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary-general Renato Reyes Jr.
“We are aware of the counter-mobilizations being planned by the government. These are really desperate moves from a very insecure regime,” he said.
Bayan will hold protest actions in at least 15 cities throughout the country to commemorate the people power uprising that ousted President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.
In Manila, Bayan swill lead a protest on Chino Roces (Mendiola) Bridge across Malacañang after being denied a permit for the People Power Monument in Quezon City and after learning that pro-Arroyo forces are going to stage a rally at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila.
Activists under Bayan will gather at the Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City at 1 p.m. today before marching to Chino Roces.
They expect around 2,000 protesters.
Reyes said the police and military “alert status” is intended to intimidate rather than to protect.
“They want to scare people and make them think that there will be trouble in our protest actions. We won’t give them that satisfaction,” he said.
Reyes chided the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board for issuing restrictions on public utility vehicles ferrying protesters.
“What we are seeing is an orchestrated effort of the government to prevent people from coming together in communal action,” he said.
“They are targeting rally venues and public transport just so they can prevent us from publicly expressing our sentiments. It’s really pathetic.”
In Isabela, Gov. Grace Padaca said yesterday another people power revolt is possible in response to the controversies haunting the government.
In Negros Occidental, Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra is expecting a huge turnout in the protest action today.
In Butuan City, Gabriela leader Athel Hijos said they are expecting hundreds to attend the rally at Rizal Park fronting St. Joseph Cathedral and near the Butuan City Central Police Office.
‘On the edge of the abyss’
At the Maryhill School of Theology in Quezon City yesterday, church people, businessmen, and other advocates of “genuine change” in the government called on President Arroyo to step down.
They accused the administration of dragging the country “on the edge of the abyss” and scored Mrs. Arroyo and her “civilian-military cohorts” for brazenly manifesting the reality of “systemic corruption” in government.
They chided the government for “suppressing the truth” and those who seek the truth about anomalous government transactions, notably the botched national broadband network with Chinese firm ZTE Corp.
“It rules on sheer force of stolen wealth and blind and paid loyalty of civilian bureaucrats and military-police brass, through web of lies and illusions, and other evil schemes to hide (the) truth and deceive the people,” read the joint statement of the group read by Fr. Rudy Abao, MSC, former chairman of the Association of the Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP).
The group assailed what they termed as “written and unwritten policies of this abominable rule” such as Executive Order 464 and the vest of “executive privilege,” Human Security Act, media repression, and continuing “extrajudicial killings” of political activists and journalists.
“In other words, this scheming clique is itself a betrayal of public trust,” read the statement. “This dubious election winner has done more to self-enrich and defend its illegitimate rule, tooth and nail.”
The group called on Filipinos “to heed the signs and call of the times” by participating in communal actions that might bring about the much-needed genuine change and reform in the government.
It demanded Mrs. Arroyo to step down and urged the Senate president and Speaker of the House to give way for a “trapo-free caretaker government” that would be headed by the Chief Justice.
The caretaker government will be established in a transition capacity until general elections are held.
“(The results of the) People Power may have been disappointing but it proved that Filipinos can remove corrupt governments,” said Bishop Deogracias Iniguez, of the Diocese of Caloocan.
“(It was just that the) chance to change given was not fully responded to… But still we should be proud that we can do it.”
Other personalities who attended yesterday’s press conference at the Maryhill School of Theology were Akbayan Rep. Riza Hontiveros-Baraquel, and businessman Pepe Araneta Albert, among others.
Their group is slated to hold a Mass-rally for “justice, peace, and genuine change” at the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City today. – Katherine Adraneda, Charlie Lagasca, Antonieta Lopez, Ben Serrano
Ground rules set for anti-GMA rallies By Non Alquitran Monday, February 25, 2008
Police and rally leaders have agreed on a number of guidelines to ensure peaceful and orderly protest rallies today in several parts of Metro Manila seeking the ouster of President Arroyo.
Metro police chief Director Geary Barias and leaders of various militant groups met at the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City on Saturday to establish common ground to prevent violence from erupting during the protest rallies at Mendiola, Manila and Baclaran in Parañaque City and the pro-government rally in Liwasang Bonifacio.
“All the rallies are armed with permits from the city mayors concerned. So we expect nothing untoward would happen,” Barias told The STAR.
Despite the promises of rally leaders to police their ranks to prevent agitators from taking advantage of the situation, Barias said anti-riot policemen would be deployed to secure the anti and pro-government rallies starting at 7 a.m.
Barias said Renato Reyes of Bayan promised that they will stick to the conditions of the permit granted them by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim for their protest rally in Mendiola.
Reyes was joined in the dialogue by leaders from the Pinag-isang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operaytors Nationwide, Courage, Buklurang Mambubukid ng Pilipinas and student groups. He said they will march towards Mendiola after lunch today and peacefully disperse at 6 p.m.
Bayan and other militant groups are seeking the ouster of Mrs. Arroyo following the revelation of ZTE broadband deal star witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. of massive irregularities in the botched government project.
Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales said he mobilized at least 2,500 policemen to secure Malacañang Palace, the protest rally in Mendiola and the pro-government gathering in Liwasang Bonifacio.
Rosales said the MPD erected barbed-wire fences and barricades at the foot of Mendiola bridge during a scheduled rally by pro-government forces yesterday afternoon. He added that “the same security procedure would be implemented on today’s protest rally by Bayan.”
He said they will strictly enforce the “no permit, no rally” policy of Philippine National Police chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. while exercising maximum tolerance in dealing with the rallyists. He warned that he will not hesitate to make arrests and file charges in court should the rallyists resort to vandalism and destroy private and government property and facilities.
He also said anti-riot policemen will be punished if they are found carrying guns.
Rosales also warned criminals from taking advantage of the situation. “While a small portion of our policemen are rendering security duties at rallies, the remaining rank-and- file would continue rendering anti-criminality duties,” he said.
Rosales said security will also be tight at government installations and traditional rally sites like the Pandacan oil depot, United States embassy and Light Railway Transit and Metro Rail Transit stations, shopping malls and commercial centers in Manila.
Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Leon Nilo de la Cruz said at least 500 anti-riot policemen will strictly implement a “no rally zone” at the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City.
De Leon said that the policemen would be on a standby mode at the EPD headquarters.
He also appealed to rally leaders to respect the wishes of the Catholic Church not to stage a protest rally at the EDSA Shrine so as not to desecrate the area.
Barias said government forces will celebrate a Mass at the EDSA Shrine at 6:30 a.m. today.
Senators slam PNP plan to install surveillance cameras By Christina Mendez and Cecille Suerte Felipe Monday, February 25, 2008
Senate President Manuel Villar assailed yesterday the alleged plan of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to install close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in Senate premises.
Senators rejected the police proposal to put up remote TV cameras in the wake of the demand by many sectors, including opposition senators, for President Arroyo to resign after the disclosure of the alleged involvement of her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo in the canceled $329-million national broadband network deal forged by the Philippines with ZTE Corp. of China.
Villar condemned the PNP for setting up CCTVs all over the metropolis as part of the administration’s alleged plot to harass and scare critics.
Senate sergeant-at-arms Jose Balajadia reported to Villar that two men who introduced themselves as PNP personnel went to the Senate at around 3 p.m. scouting for areas where they can install CCTV units.
Balajadia said the two men went to the duty supervisor but they were advised to get permission from the Senate president.
The two police officers said they will return when the Senate resumes regular session on Tuesday and would bring a letter of permission from National Capital Region Police chief Director Geary Barias.
Balajadia said the Senate does not need additional CCTV because there is an existing 24-hour CCTV monitoring the Senate offices and the building perimeter.
“We don’t need it, we are on a 24-hour CCTV (monitoring),” Balajadia said.
The Senate is secured round-the-clock by its own security teams and members of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) under Chief Superintendent Leocadio Santiago Jr. are also assigned to augment security personnel, manning entrance and exit points at the GSIS building in Pasay City where senators hold session and have their offices.
Villar said the CCTVs are apparently part of the scare tactics of the administration meant to intimidate citizens.
“Pananakot lamang ito. Hindi ako naniniwala na para ito sa security ng bansa. Para takutin, to intimidate,” said Villar in an interview with dzBB, as he expressed misgivings that this latest move was the government’s reaction to criticism.
Villar said the people no longer feel safe with the police after Senate star witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. was taken against his will from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport when he arrived from Hong Kong last Feb. 5 apparently to prevent him from testifying in the Senate regarding the NBN deal scam.
He said what people are more afraid of is an ever watchful PNP. Villar said the cameras should be installed at the Palace because administration officials need more protection.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a former PNP chief, lamented that the administration has been using the CCTVs aside from tapping telephones of critics.
PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. denied that the police plan to install CCTV cameras at the Senate.
Razon said the PNP made no request to Balajadia for the installation of the cameras because the security matters in the area are covered by the sergeant-at-arms in coordination with the PNP SAF contingent assigned at the Senate.
“Wala kaming hinihinging permiso maglagay ng CCTV sa Senado, di totoo yan. Dapat di sila matakot sa protection na binibigay ng PNP,” said Razon, who noted that he has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident to identify who were the policemen and who sent them to the Senate.
PNP officials also denied installing a CCTV unit at a lamp post near the St. Scholastica’s College in Manila, saying it was a photo-sensor device used to automatically switch off lights during the daytime.
PNP spokesman Senior Nicanor Bartolome said that the device found mounted in a lamp post near the St. Scholastica’s College in Manila is not a PNP CCTV camera but rather a photo-sensor device that is used to automatically switch off lights during the daytime.
“Our people in Metro Manila need not be afraid of these CCTV cameras but rather feel safer that with them, our children are more secured in our streets and other public places,” Bartolome added.
Bartolome said the PNP is encouraging private business establishments to set up their own CCTV security cameras in their respective areas to help in crime prevention and monitoring.
He said 56 CCTV cameras will soon be installed in various parts of Metro Manila as part of the anti-criminality project of the PNP.
Bartolome said 26 CCTV cameras have already been installed along major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, including one located in front of the De La Salle High School in Greenhills.
He added that more CCTV cameras are expected to be set up in strategic locations in Metro Manila after the initial launching of the anti-crime project at the National Capital Region Police Office in Bicutan last Oct. 10, 2007.
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
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by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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