GMA seeks rally ground rules

President Arroyo pushed for a dialogue on the ground rules of engagement in handling rallies and demonstrations and on the designation of "freedom parks," as she noted policemen were provoked and attacked in yesterday’s protest actions near Malacañang.

"I would like to express my sympathies to the six policemen and women who were hurt in (yesterday’s) rally including one policewoman who is very seriously hurt," Mrs. Arroyo said during the launching of the First Seafood Market link at Clark Field in Pampanga yesterday.

Though Mrs. Arroyo continued to defend the implementation of the calibrated preemptive response (CPR) policy against wildcat demonstrations to protect the welfare of the majority, she said there must also be continuous discussion on the rules of engagement.

"We reiterate our commitment to peace, order (and) security. We must minimize disturbances to our students and our commuting public as we continue to lay down clear-cut rules on engagement in handling mass actions," the President said.

Among the injured lawmen were Police Officers 3 (PO3) Marian Evangelista, Martheres Solidarius, Ma. Gracia Baldenas, Aldine Moreno, PO2 Gonzaga Joger and PO1 Allan Baysa who was hit by a rock in the head.

The six were hurt in the initial dispersal of the rallyists along Nicanor Reyes street in Sampaloc, Manila’s University Belt who were attempting to force their way to Mendiola.

The President said local government units should identify

freedom parks in which rallyists could hold peaceful assemblies to air their grievances without requiring permits from local officials.

"These are elements of a strong republic that we need in order for our economic takeoff not to be sabotaged by degenerated political system," the President said.

Mrs. Arroyo said efforts are now underway to establish a stronger state, and sought "divine intervention and blessings" for the resiliency of the economy and the "heroism and loyalty" of civil servants.

She said the economy continued to be buoyed by the remittances of overseas Filipino workers that amounted to billions of dollars.

Mrs. Arroyo also emphasized the need to rewrite the Constitution and allow a shift to a federal parliamentary government and junk the current political system, which she said had become "degenerated."

She also explained the need for additional revenues generated by the expanded value-added tax to further development in the country.

The President thanked her allies in Congress for their support as well as their constituents.

Anti-government rallies are being conducted almost daily after the opposition failed to impeach Mrs. Arroyo on allegations of fraud and election cheating.

With the increasing protest actions initiated by the opposition and militant groups, the President ordered a tighter implementation of the "no permit, no rally" policy and use of the calibrated preemptive response against wildcat demonstrations.

Critics of the CPR policy have also joined protests but the government maintained that the public must not be inconvenienced by a "noisy and tyrannical minority."