Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts

Volume IV,  Number 22              July 4 - 10, 2004            Quezon City, Philippines


 





Outstanding, insightful, honest coverage...

 

Join the Bulatlat.com mailing list!

Powered by groups.yahoo.com

Street Protests Mar Arroyo Inaugural 

Street protests marred the inaugural of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Cebu City. Despite this, the President, her supporters, local politicians, actors and foreign dignitaries greeted the event with day-long merry-making in the city that supposedly delivered Macapagal-Arroyo to the presidency.

By Kara Mae Muga Noveda
Contributed to Bulatlat.com

CEBU CITY - Mistakenly projected by the national broadcast networks as “FPJ loyalists,” a multi-sectoral mass of about 300 rallyists from Bayan, KMP (Kilusang Mangbubukid ng Pilipinas), Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), League of Filipino Students (LFS), Anakbayan, College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), Gabriela, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) and other peoples’ organizations were violently dispersed by police as they staged street protests on June 30.

Scores of protesters were injured in the melee. Policemen involved in the dispersals wore no nameplates, it was reported.

Shortly after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived for her inauguration, truncheon-wielding 

Under assault: Anti-Arroyoprotesters bludgeoned by riot policemen while the newly-installed president takes oath

policemen pushed a group of rallyists back to Colon Street. Using metal canes, policemen beat up the protesters including women leaving almost all of them with bruises.

KMP member Narciso Taborada sustained a cut in the head and was brought to the Vicente Sotto Hospital.

Forced to retreat, the rallyists reassembled at Cebu’s downtown intersection area to continue airing out sectoral demands as they fire trucks, policemen and SWAT teams encircled them. They cried for oil price rollback and genuine land reform, among others.

After a short program of speeches rally leaders asked the police that they be allowed to hold another rally at a nearby mall. Police officials turned down all negotiations.

Undaunted, the protesters dashed to the Cebu City Medical Center where they were finally blocked by a phalanx of anti-riot policemen who caught up with them. Barred from pushing forward by a police truck and policemen, the protesters appeared defenseless as they were shoved away by violent dispersal.

A member of the Presidential Security Guard (PSG) and two policemen stopped May Sumagang, a Gabriela community organizer, and divested her of four banners. Sumagang later filed a complaint against the PSG for harassment with the city police.

Jaime Paglinawan, chairperson of Bayan-Central Visayas condemned the violent dispersal as a violation of the protesters’ civil liberties. 

Macapagal-Arroyo, proclaimed by the ruling-party dominated Congress as winner in the May 10 presidential elections, flew to Cebu for her inaugural after delivering a speech at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. Day-long festivities and other extravaganzas, including a free-barbecue party, capped the inaugural in this city which, administration officials said, gave decisive votes to the president.

Macapagal-Arroyo’s election is under protest. Bulatlat.com

Back to top


We want to know what you think of this article.