Peasant Protesters
Truncheoned, Hosed Down by Police
BY BULATLAT
Posted 1:45 P.M. June 9, 2006
One protester was
arrested and some 20 others were hurt when police used truncheons and
water cannons to disperse a peasant rally which reached Mendiola (Don
Chino Roces) bridge in Manila this noon.
Kilusang Magbubukid
ng Pilipinas spokesperson Carl Ala said that Andrew Zabarte, a member of
a cultural group, was arrested by the dispersal unit of the Western
Police District, when the latter blocked the marchers at España, Manila
at 9 a.m.. Two other activists from Rizal province who were taken by the
police were still unaccounted for.
It was another
cat-and-mouse game as the 2,000 protesters “re-took” Mendiola Bridge for
the third time since Malacañang issued its Calibrated Preemptive
Response (CPR) policy. The marchers took to the sidestreets of Sampaloc,
thru P. Noval and Bustillos streets and reached Mendiola at 12 noon.
The police
dispersal unit trained water cannons on the peasants, but failed to
break their ranks, even as scores were hurt and hit by police truncheons
and shields. Police chased after the protesters up to the LRT-2 Legarda
station. The marchers retreated to Bustillos where they held a program
up to 1:30 p.m.
Peasant leaders
Noel Matematico of KMP-Rizal and Lito dela Cruz of Hacienda Luisita,
Tarlac, suffered head concussions and were brought to the hospital.
Also wounded was Dr. Gene Nisperos, secretary general of the Health
Alliance for Democracy (HEAD).
Some policemen were
also wounded as some protesters began hitting back.
The peasants, who
came from Central and Southern Luzon, condemned the 18th year
implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, and were
protesting calling for a stop to the brazen killings of activists.
Ala said that under
Batasan Pambansa 880, they were automatically granted a permit since the
office of Manila City Mayor Lito Atienza did not reply to their permit
application to march to Mendiola two weeks ago, which is a provision
in. Bulatlat
BACK TO
TOP ■
PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION ■
COMMENT
© 2006 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications
Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided
its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
