PNP: LABOR DAY RALLIES GENERALLY
PEACEFUL NATIONWIDE
[PHOTO
AT LEFT - A police officer walks past rows of riot shields as thousands of
protesters hold a rally at the foot of the Chino Roces bridge near
Malacañang to mark Labor Day yesterday. - Photo By ERNIE PEÑAREDONDO]
MANILA, MAY 2, 2008 (STAR) By Cecille Suerte Felipe - Protest actions by workers commemorating Labor Day were generally peaceful, police said yesterday.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. said there were no significant reports of violence or confrontation involving workers’ groups that staged mass actions in key cities across the country.
“Our preparations and the cooperation of those who took part in the public assemblies were instrumental in the generally peaceful outcome of the event,” Razon said.
“This only goes to show that peaceful and orderly public assemblies can be held if everyone will cooperate,” he said.
Thousands of workers took to the streets of Manila and other key cities of the country to demand higher wages and state controls on the rising prices of rice and other basic food commodities.
Police deployed thousands of officers to prevent violence as rallies began in several parts of Manila, which were intended to converge later in the day outside Malacañang.
Demonstrators carried signs demanding “Jobs, Justice and Food” and called on the resignation of President Arroyo.
Protest actions were also held in Cebu City, Davao, Iloilo, Baguio City, Calamba, Legazpi City, Bacolod City, Tuguegarao and Cavite.
Metro Manila police chief Director Geary Barias said they allowed protesters to mark the Labor Day tradition but that any attempt at violence would be stopped.
“We have not received any (security) threat this day and we believe in the sincerity of the rally organizers — that they will hold their May 1 celebrations peacefully,” Barias told reporters.
Elite police commandos armed with assault rifles were deployed on highways leading to Manila, while crowd dispersal units were placed on full alert near key government buildings.
Razon said police preparations and the cooperation of rally organizers resulted in the generally peaceful outcome of yesterday’s Labor Day mass actions.
In Manila, where marches traditionally converge during Labor Day, police estimate of rallyists was from 3,000 to 4,000.
Two large labor organizations, the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and the Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) spearheaded the rally.
PM and its affiliated organizations marched to Mendiola past noon after a short program at the Plaza Miranda in Quiapo. The marchers that reached some 2,000 in Plaza Miranda dwindled to 500 when they reached Mendiola at noontime. They dispersed after a 30-minute program.
The KMU and other militant organizations then marched to Mendiola past 4 p.m. after a program at the Liwasang Bonifacio. Police estimated the marchers at 2,000.
The rallyists converged at 121 staging points in Plaza Moriones in Tondo, UST in España, the corner of Quirino Avenue along Taft Avenue, the Plaza Salamanca at the corner of Kalaw Street in Ermita, the Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City, and Plaza Ruiz in Tondo.
Barias attributed the orderly rallies to the agreement made during the dialogue between the police and rally organizers. “The rallyists abided by their promise as stipulated in their permit,” he said. –With Sandy Araneta, Nestor Etolle, Katherine Adraneda, Jaime Laude, Reinir Padua, Antonieta Lopez, Charlie Lagasca