‘Government won’t allow opposition to derail economy’

Malacañang warned opposition leaders yesterday that it will do everything to protect the country’s fragile economy and the security of the people from destabilization even as it vowed to exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with protest actions.

Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor said that while the Arroyo administration is no longer worried over threats to topple it by opposition and extremist groups, it is now focused on the adverse effects of destabilization efforts on the country’s economy and security.

"I think we all agree in the (national) security council (NSC) that (the opposition) cannot bring down the President but they can hurt the people," Defensor said. "They cannot topple this government. What we are doing is to prevent them from harming the economy and also, along the way, harming innocent people and civilians."

Defensor issued this statement as authorities braced for possible violent protest actions today marking Labor Day after government officials said the occasion may be used to launch another attempt to oust President Arroyo.

He said the NSC will meet today at the Palace to be on hand to assess events as they transpire in connection with the Labor Day celebrations, where opposition group vowed to stage massive protest actions.

Defensor and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita expressed doubts that the President’s political opponents can muster massive crowds in staging their protests and make them stay for days to attempt another "people power" uprising.

"They always have been bragging about bringing hundreds of thousands (of people to protests) but nothing happened," Ermita said.

Defensor said the Chino Roces Bridge approaching Malacañang remains off-limits to protesters based in line with Manila Mayor Lito Atienza’s directive. The historic bridge used to be known as Mendiola Bridge.

He said the directive was issued for security reasons and for the safety of protesters, because the bridge is too narrow to accommodate a large rally.

He gave assurance that authorities, particularly the police, will exercise maximum tolerance but warned protesters not to test the law, as the Supreme Court just recently upheld the constitutionality of the Marcos-era Batas Pambansa 880 or the Public Assembly Act.

"We are taking a maximum tolerance position and we’re telling them (protesters) that maximum tolerance will be observed," Defensor said.

He asked protesters not to press their aim to march to Chino Roces bridge, pointing out that there are freedom parks and other areas where local governments will permit them to stage their protest actions.

However, Defensor said authorities are still not taking any chances: "You don’t leave anything to chance. All possible angles from destabilization (to) terror(ist) attacks, Estrada loyalists, the left, the right, all these angles have to be addressed or at least anticipated."

Ermita also expressed doubts over speculations that there may be a military component in today’s protest actions, saying all the rightist officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) suspected of trying to destabilize the government are under close watch.

"They know they’re under surveillance," he added.