Guingona III: Rally dispersal form of tyranny, oppression

A day after the prayer rally led by former vice president Teofisto Guingona Jr. near Malacañang was violently dispersed by policemen, his son and opposition lawmaker Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III called on Filipinos to join his father "in the struggle against tyranny and oppression." "GMA’s arrogant and tyrannical rules… roused him from that retirement. My father, Tito Guingona, has now answered the summons of decency and democracy," he said.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye defended the use of fire hoses to break up a protest march led by the prelates and the former vice president.

Bunye said last Friday’s incident in which riot police used fire hoses to disperse marchers was prompted after the protesters failed to heed warnings not to approach the areas surrounding Malacañang.

Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong also defended his men for initiating the violent dispersal, saying the prayer rally became violent after some of the rallyists tried to force their way through to Mendiola.

Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil said the PNP take full responsibility for the hosing incident.

"The PNP takes responsibility for what happened during the rally in Mendiola where some VIPs were doused with water," Bataoil said.

But Bataoil defended the police for the unexpected use of water cannons against the rallyists.

He echoed Bulaong’s claim that some of the rallyists tried to break away from the main group and force their way to Mendiola.

Bataoil said a full-blown investigation will be conducted over the violent dispersal.

The elder Guingona, Sen. Jamby Madrigal, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and Fr. Robert Reyes, along with other rally leaders, were slightly injured but were mostly just stunned after being hit by the water jets as they tried to march near Malacañang.

It was the second time in as many days that police have used high-pressure water hoses to disperse protesters calling for the resignation of Mrs. Arroyo, whose popularity remains low despite winning an impeachment challenge over allegations she cheated in last year’s election.

The Bukidnon congressman joined critics in blasting Mrs. Arroyo for allowing police to implement the "calibrated preemptive response" (CPR) aimed at quelling violent protest actions against her administration.

According to Guingona, Mrs. Arroyo will continue to implement the CPR and "step on everyone regardless of who he or she is."

"There are no warm friendships nor serious alliances with this woman," he said. "Only frigid temporary alliances of conveniences. There are no burning principles nor convictions with her, only the callous political goal of holding on to the Office of the President," he said.

Against the agreement

Bunye, on the other hand, said last Friday’s incident could have been avoided if the rallyists had properly coordinated their actions with authorities.

"It was clear that they had a permit for a rally at the plaza... but we don’t know why they went against their earlier agreement" and marched on the Palace, Bunye said.

Bunye affirmed the CPR authorizing police to break up rallies held without legal permits was used, but stressed that "if (the rallyists) want to demonstrate, they have areas designated for (public) demonstrations."

Bunye noted the protesters went beyond the designated areas, thus justifying the use of force to disperse them.

He said the local government of Manila gave them the permit to conduct the prayer rally in Plaza Miranda but the rallyists "went beyond the agreement" and proceeded to Mendiola.

"The government is not curtailing the people’s right to express themselves. What we are only requesting is for them to hold them in the proper places. Mendiola really has to be off-limits to rallies now," he said.

Malacañang said the opposition is using the almost daily street protests to foment discord and set the stage for a coup attempt.

But Bunye belied claims that last Friday’s violent dispersal was part of plans to implement emergency rule or a "creeping martial law." 

He said the allegations of abuses committed by the police and the government were baseless.

On accusations that freedom of speech and expression were being curtailed under the policy, Bunye said the rallyists should have gone to the media instead.

"They can always express their sentiments to the media. If they want to demonstrate, they have areas designated for demonstrations," he said.

Bunye added the Manila city government has decided to exclude Mendiola from the areas where protest actions should be conducted since its location is near Malacañang and the university belt.

Down with ‘CPR’

Senators, for their part, warned Malacañang against the continued use of the CPR policy saying it could spark larger and more violent demonstrations in the future.

Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan said Malacañang should now consider withdrawing the policy to appease the anger of protesters.

"As a former student activist myself, I believe that Malacañang is wrong if it thinks CPR will stop the rallyists from going to the streets. It, in fact, has the opposite effect. CPR will ensure that the rallyists will keep coming back," he said.

Pangilinan said the CPR has become a symbol of oppression.

"The situation can only escalate further and if CPR is not withdrawn, it may graduate to violence in the streets," Pangilinan warned.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. said last Friday’s dispersal would encourage more people to come out and join the protests.

"Hosing Sen. Jamby Madrigal, former Vice President Tito Guingona, the bishops, priests, nuns and concerned citizens, provokes the people’s patience to a breaking point. Gloria and her minions will rue this day," Pimentel said.

Pimentel condemned the use of water cannons to break up rallies.

"This is what we are seeing: a government whose moral authority to govern, and whose arsenal of reasons has run out. Therefore they have to use force in the belief that by doing so they can silence political dissent and hang on to the trappings of power," he said.

Pimentel expressed his belief that policemen had direct orders from the President to hose down the protesters.

He also supported plans of Madrigal to lodge a formal protest against the Philippine government before the United Nations for its policy of breaking up peaceful protests.

Madrigal had claimed the use of the CPR constitutes a breach of the UN convention on human rights of which the Philippines is a signatory.

Sen. Ralph Recto also believed last Friday’s violent dispersal would encourage more demonstrations.

"Hosing down demonstrators will not douse water on their passion," Recto said.

"On the contrary, like water to plants, it is these acts that nurture more demonstrations... History has shown that the water you use to disperse citizens has an uncanny way of returning as a tidal wave of popular anger," he added.

Recto called on Malacañang to simply ignore the demonstrations since dispersals would only provide protesters with all the publicity and sympathy they want.

He said the police have become unwitting publicists for demonstrators.

"Dispersals make for good political theater. Ironically, it is the police that supplies this ingredient which transforms a traffic obstruction of jaywalkers into a national event," he added.

Even the Church, through the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, called on President Arroyo to reconsider the implementation of CPR.

Incoming CBCP president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said they are supporting moves to question the legality of the CPR in the wake of last Friday’s violent dispersal of the prelate-led rally.

"The legality of the CPR must be questioned before the appropriate court," Lagdameo said.

Militant groups, for their part, declared their intention to hold more and bigger protest actions in the coming days.

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said Malacañang is not justified in declaring certain areas near Malacañang off-limits to rallyists.

Despite the planned no-rally zone, groups affiliated with Bayan like the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and the Gloria Step Down! movement are determined to hold a much bigger rally on October 21 in Manila.

"Mrs. Arroyo and Mayor Lito Atienza must be reminded that they do not own Mendiola, Recto and Legarda Avenue. Those are not Malacañang’s private domain. They cannot declare such areas as rally-free zones on the mere say-so of the President or Mayor," Reyes said.

Bayan chairman Carol Araullo, for her part, condemned last Friday’s violent dispersal saying the incident was "reminiscent of martial law."

"The brazen attacks on protesters (Friday) night are not just a mistake or oversight as the police are now claiming. These attacks are part of a policy of intolerance towards anti-Arroyo protests," Araullo said. — With Aurea Calica, Jaime Laude, Marvin Sy, Evelyn Macairan, Nestor Etolle, AFP