Students heckle GMA at PGH

President Arroyo received jeers again yesterday after turnover ceremonies for a new ophthalmology center at the Philippine General Hospital on Taft Avenue in Manila.

The President was coming out of the Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal building inside the PGH compound at around noon when student activists suddenly unfurled banners and started shouting "GMA, pahirap sa bayan" and "Itaas ang sahod."

The hecklers mixed with patients who were on the shaded walkway waiting for the eye center to resume regular business.

The incident was reminiscent of a similar heckling episode two months ago during a graduation ceremony in Silang, Cavite last April. This time, however, police were quick to pounce on the militants, resulting in the arrest of two youth members and a rank and file employee of PGH, which is under the University of the Philippines system.

A witness said banners were also unfurled from the third floor of the PGH main building.

Mrs. Arroyo immediately boarded the presidential car while the surprised policemen from the Manila Police District led by Ermita police station Superintendent Rolando Miranda immediately confiscated the streamers and arrested three persons.

Those arrested were identified as Oyo Agustin, 18, of Pasig City and Mark Siguerza, 19, of Quezon City, both students of Mapua Institute of Technology and Anabayan members; and Eliseo Estropigan, an electrician at UP-PGH.

Another witness added that most of the members of the Presidential Security Group were still inside the building, tailing the President, when the heckling begun.

It turned out that some of the hecklers were UP students and PGH nurses.

PGH spokesman Dr. Michael Tee refused to comment on the incident pending an official report from the police.

"We’ll look at their concerns and if they are bona fide members of the PGH system, we’ll provide them with a proper venue where they can air their concerns. We’ll let them voice their concerns in a congenial environment," he told The STAR.

The two students denied that they had unfurled "Oust Gloria" streamers but admitted they had infiltrated the ranks of hospital employees. Estropigan, for his part, wondered why he was arrested since his group is a legal union of UP-PGH employees with legitimate demands.

Last April 21, Mrs. Arroyo was also heckled while speaking at the graduation rites of the Cavite State University in Silang, Cavite. Among the hecklers was mass communication graduate Ma. Teresa Pangilinan.

The President was at the PGH yesterday to witness the turnover of the eye center to the UP system by the Spanish government through the Spanish International Cooperation Agency.

The five-story facility is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, making the center the leading ophthalmology center in the Philippines. It stands on a 4,938 square meter lot inside the PGH compound.

The eye center also offers training programs for Filipino ophthalmologists seeking to become specialists. — Sheila Crisostomo, Nestor Etolle