Metro police ready for June 12 rites

A total of 6,000 policemen will be deployed to different areas in Metro Manila on Monday during the celebration of Independence Day as militant groups are expected to stage protest rallies against the Arroyo administration.

Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol said majority of the policemen on duty would be elements of the Crowd Disturbance Management (CDM) out to prevent rallyists from resorting to violence while airing their grievances against the government.

"We expect the red banners in the streets," said Querol as he urged rally leaders to secure permits from local government units (LGUs).

Querol and officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) National Capital Region Command (NCRCom) met yesterday at Camp Aguinaldo to finalize security plas for the Independence Day celebrations.

The NCRCom pledged to send 300 anti-riot personnel to augment the NCRPO units.

Reports reaching Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., intelligence chief of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) showed that the protest rallies would be spearheaded by leaders from Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and People’s Movement Against Arroyo’s Charter Change (PMAACC).

Rojas said Bayan members will converge at the Welcome Rotunda in Quezon City before marching towards España, Morayta and the Don Chino Roces Bridge in Mendiola.

The Bayan and PMAACC groups would also gather at the Welcome Rotunda at 3 p.m. before marching towards Liwasang Bonifacio to join the protestors from the Kilusang Makabayan para sa Ekonomiya headed by Zenaida Pineda.

The NCRPO intelligence chief said the demands expected to be raised by the protestors were Cha-cha, freedom, and to frustrated attempts to amend the Constitution. There were also reports that supporters of former President Joseph Estrada would also conduct a separate protest rally on the same day.