May Day rallies peaceful

There were a few minor confrontations between rallyists and police yesterday, but fears of a repeat of the bloody May 1 riots and siege of Malacañang last year did not materialize.

Protesters of different persuasions even abided by the hours allotted to them to hold their rallies at Mendiola, where metal fences and barbed wire kept anti-riot squads at a safe distance.

Thousands of supporters of deposed President Joseph Estrada marched to Malacañang to commemorate their siege last year, eclipsing the traditional Labor Day rallies that marked the 100th anniversary of trade unionism in the country.

The riots on May 1, 2001 claimed four lives and forced President Arroyo to call in the military to restore order after declaring a state of rebellion in Metro Manila.

Yesterday Estrada’s followers, many of them wearing his trademark orange, demanded the resignation of Mrs. Arroyo and the restoration to power of their idol who is detained in a military hospital while being tried on corruption charges.

Organizers said about 15,000 people took part in the rally but other estimates put the number at anywhere from 3,000 to 10,000.

Hundreds of riot police wielding shields and batons, backed by hundreds of soldiers and four fire trucks, kept the rallyists at bay.

Superintendent Pablito Cordeta, Bureau of Fire Protection commander, said they had orders from the Presidential Security Group to hose down rallyists who would try to break through the police phalanx.

"Police and military, listen. Follow the Constitution, restore the president," the protesters chanted, referring to Estrada who was toppled in a military-backed uprising in January 2001.

Security officials said they would exercise "maximum tolerance" of the protesters.

Shouts of "Erap, Erap, bring back Erap!" "Erap forever!" and "Gloria, resign!" could be heard from the crowd, consisting mostly of urban poor residents.

They also called for the release of Estrada loyalist Ronald Lumbao, leader of the pro-Estrada People’s Movement Against Poverty (PMAP), who was arrested two weeks ago on rebellion charges for spearheading the riot last year. Lumbao is being detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City, the Philippine National Police headquarters.

Yesterday he issued a statement denying responsibility for the Malacañang siege last year. A police source said that a defiant Lumbao also told his police guard that yesterday’s rally was the beginning of their campaign to oust Mrs. Arroyo.

"Hindi pa tapos ang laban. Umpisa pa lang ito (The fight is not over yet. This is just the start)," Lumbao was quoted as saying.

National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said he did not think the rally would turn into a repeat of the bloody siege of Malacañang last year.

"There is no national security threat at this point. The problem here is more on traffic. We have enough security measures around the Palace," Golez said. Mrs. Arroyo was not worried about the protest, he said.

PMAP spokesman Arnold Obina said officials "are just showing how paranoid the government is."

Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo said the rally was a normal part of democracy. Allowing the protesters to mass near the Palace shows the government’s "maturity," he said as he inspected the riot police guarding the gates.

Ricardo Geniza, 23, a pedicab driver, said he was at the riot last year and was again marching for Estrada.

"I wasn’t jailed last year but my body ached (from the violence). I am here because I want to fight for Erap. I just hope we are not hurt this time," he said.

Not all of the protests against the Arroyo administration were fiery rhetoric.

Freelance journalist Ric Gamboa held a photo exhibit of about 70 pictures, most of which he took, of the riot in front of San Sebastian College, several meters from the Don Chino Roces (formerly Mendiola) Bridge.

One of the pictures showed riot police using a high-pressure water cannon against Estrada supporters who were trying to storm Malacañang’s Gate 7. Another picture showed vehicles on fire near Centro Escolar University, just meters outside Malacañang’s gates.

Estrada’s son, San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito, told the crowd: "The president (Estrada) is thanking everyone who is here, and in spite of all the demolition jobs they have done, this shows that he is not a spent force as they claim him to be."

"He feels good. This is a vindication," he said.

March to Malacañang

The protesters assembled at around 9 a.m. on Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard in Sta. Mesa, about two kilometers away from the presidential palace.

They marched toward Nagtahan, retracing the route they took last year in their march to Malacañang. Along the way, they handed out replicas of P200 bills bearing Mrs. Arroyo’s portrait and "signed" by her as "acting president."

Estrada maintains that he did not resign when he was ousted and claims that he went on "indefinite leave," leaving Mrs. Arroyo as acting president.

Prevented by riot police from entering J.P. Laurel street, the road leading to the Palace, the protesters went to the intersection of Legarda street and Claro M. Recto Avenue several blocks away and staged their protest at the foot of Chino Roces Bridge. That prompted police to reroute traffic.

There the demonstrators approached the police line, laid a wreath and lit four blue candles for the four protesters – Ricky Calcatas, Malou Grabamar, Narciso Tinoc and Den Vesagar – who were killed in the riot last year.

By 12 noon, several Estrada loyalists were seen leaving the ranks when they learned that lunch would not be provided by rally organizers.

Tension built up briefly when the protesters initially refused to disperse at around 2 p.m., the time allotted by the police for their rally, to allow leftist protest groups to hold their Labor Day rally at Mendiola later in the day.

They left at around 3 p.m. to give way to leftist group Sanlakas which arrived with an estimated 8,000 demonstrators.

All clear at EDSA Shrine

Meanwhile, the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City – where the Estrada loyalists gathered before marching to Malacañang last year – was clear of Estrada supporters yesterday.

That left hundreds of riot police, backed by soldiers, bored as they stood by, ready to guard the key intersection of the highway against a possible rally by Estrada supporters.

Police have been on alert against an alleged plot by a group of key Estrada loyalists to start another riot similar to last year’s.

"If the Erap supporters decide to go and stage a rally at the EDSA Shrine, we are prepared to deal with them," said Chief Superintendent Roland Sacramento, Eastern Police District director. "We will stay here until the situation calls for the pulling out of our forces."

This time, police were ready with several rolls of sharp razor wire to prevent demonstrators from massing at the shrine, where Mrs. Arroyo took her oath of office last year after Estrada was toppled.

Metro Manila police commander Deputy Director General Edgardo Aglipay thanked rally organizers for keeping things peaceful. "I am happy that everything was peaceful thanks to the cooperation of their leaders," he said.

Authorities had deployed 13,000 police officers across Metro Manila to maintain law and order. Foreign embassies advised their respective nationals to exercise caution.

However, yesterday was so peaceful that some riot police officers in some areas across the metropolis were seen either napping under the shade or sending mobile phone text messages.

"It looked like overkill but we shouldn’t be complacent," one police official said after going around town inspecting his men.

Tight security

Elsewhere, police set up barricades on the main highway leading to Metro Manila and initially stopped 10 buses and jeepneys full of Estrada supporters trying the reach the rally.

That led to a heated argument and a minor scuffle between both sides. No injuries nor arrests were reported.

Traffic slowed to a crawl at the South Luzon Expressway as police officers searched buses and jeepneys for weapons. None were found.

To the north, 26 buses carrying demonstrators from leftist protest groups from Central Luzon and Rizal province east of Metro Manila were allowed to enter the metropolis.

However, the militant Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino said police barred several jeepneys carrying BMP members from Cavite and Batangas provinces.

In Silang, Cavite, a minor scuffle ensued when police officers stopped the protesters from entering Metro Manila to join the rallies, the BMP said. Scores were reported hurt. No other details were available.

BMP president Victor Briz condemned the incident, saying the police violated their "basic freedoms of assembly and expression."

Meanwhile, a ranking police intelligence official said they had foiled an alleged plot by suspected communist hitmen from the Alex Boncayao Brigade to sabotage a leftist protest rally at Liwasang Bonifacio, two kilometers away from Malacañang.

"They backed out upon sensing that they were being tailed by our plainclothes operatives," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Labor Day rallies sidelined

As the pro-Estrada demonstration dominated the Arroyo administration’s attention, leftist and centrist labor groups held smaller rallies in other parts of the country.

Leftist protest groups usually opposed to Estrada also joined the pro-Estrada forces in lambasting the government, demanding a wage increase and criticizing Mrs. Arroyo’s offer of non-wage benefits to improve the lives of Filipinos.

"She should have at least asked Congress to prioritize the passage of a pending bill granting a P125 across-the-board salary hike to all workers but she did not," said Elmer Labog, secretary general of the militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno.

Leftist groups who supported Mrs. Arroyo and helped oust Estrada last year yesterday demanded her resignation.

Bayan secretary general Teodoro Casiño said "Arroyo’s unmistakable betrayal of the working class justifies their call for the President’s immediate ouster."

Dozens of leftist protesters also picketed the US embassy on Roxas Blvd. to protest the ongoing Balikatan joint military exercises between US and Philippine troops in Central Luzon and the island of Basilan. – With reports from Mike Frialde, Non Alquitran, Nestor Etolle, Mayen Jaymalin, Jaime Laude, Sandy Araneta, Nikko Dizon, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jerry Botial, Pia Lee-Brago, Rene Alviar, Teddy Molina