NPD conducts mock crowd control

At least a battalion of policemen from the Northern Police District Office (NPDO) engaged yesterday in mock crowd control maneuvers at the headquarters compound in preparation for anticipated Labor Day protest rallies.

NPDO director, Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol, in a press briefing, said policemen of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela are ready to defend Malacañang should another attack by Erap loyalists and other groups take place on May 1.

"We are ready, if we are called again, as we were in the May 1 siege of Malacañang. We are prepared to defend it from any group who wants to topple the government," Querol told reporters.

It will be recalled that a contingent from the NPDO led by Querol was among the first to form a police barricade and face the Erap loyalists who stormed the Palace after marching from EDSA to oust Mrs. Arroyo from the presidency last year. After successfully defending Malacañang, the NPDO was awarded for the gallantry they showed and was dubbed as the "Liberators of Mendiola" where they dispersed thousands of Erap loyalists and subsequently charged some of them with rebellion.

Chief Inspector Jack Ramos, chief of the civil disburbance unit (CDU), said policemen are rehearsing their crowd dispersal skills and handling of unruly mobs to contain any riot and minimize injuries.

As this developed, government agents are allegedly keeping their noses to the ground in known Erap strongholds in Malabon and Navotas where some groups were reportedly recruiting "paid" protesters.

Querol said any such attempt will be stopped by the police. — Jerry Botial