QC grants permit to SONA rallyists

The Quezon City government has permitted anti-administration groups to hold rallies from the Elliptical Circle to Ever Gotesco along Commonwealth Avenue during President Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address on Monday.

Rally permits for Almansa and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) were released July 13 and 14, respectively, while the FPJ Volunteer Movement got its own yesterday, said Manuel Sabalza, chief of the city’s public order and safety department.

Sabalza said the permit allows the three groups to conduct their rallies from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The request of Linggoy Alcuaz’s FPJ movement to conduct a vigil from 6 p.m. until midnight on the eve of the President’s SONA was also approved.

However, Sabalza said the venue of the protests had to be moved from St. Peter’s Cathedral to Ever Gotesco because of an ongoing road construction in the area and for security reasons.

In a statement, Renato Reyes of Bayan expressed concern that despite their permit, they might be subjected to police harassment.

"Like in previous rallies, the police might block vehicles or prevent people from leaving their schools and communities to get to Commonwealth," Reyes said.

He said it appears that the rally site is being pushed farther and farther from the Batasan Pambansa where the President will deliver her SONA before a joint session of Congress.

Reyes described this as a sign of paranoia.

But Sabalza said the limitation of the rally areas was to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.

He said the city government has already done its duty to grant the permit, adding anti-riot police are expected to perform their duty to maintain peace and order during the rallies.

Bayan on Monday launched week-long activities against the Arroyo administration that will culminate simultaneously with the SONA.

While the Philippine National Police is preparing a massive security build-up amid reports that the protests may be infiltrated by rebel soldiers, the militants have decided to counter the dispersal of their ranks with "anti-dispersal composite teams." — Perseus Echeminada