'Aquino oath taking peaceful, orderly'

MANILA, Philippines - Except for isolated cases of theft and missing vehicles while parked in Luneta, the oath taking of President Aquino yesterday morning was generally peaceful and orderly, Manila Police District director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay said.

Some 6,500 uniformed policemen from the National Capital Region Police Office, including Manila policemen, were deployed in and around Luneta Park and along the stretch of Roxas Boulevard to secure Aquino, Vice President Jejomar Binay, government officials, VIPs and foreign dignitaries who attended the oath taking.

“There was no major crime incident reported before and after the ceremony in Luneta. I congratulate the men and women of the MPD for a job well done,” Magtibay said.

NCRPO chief Director Roberto Rosales and Magtibay personally led their men in the ground security of Luneta since Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, one of the thousands who trooped to Luneta to witness Aquino’s oath taking reported to police the loss of his motorcycle while parked at the back of Rizal’s monument.

According to Enrico Villacruz, of Pandacan, Manila, he parked his Yamaha Mio motorcycle (8066 PQ) at around 11:30 a.m. to personally witness the oath taking and hear the inaugural speech of Aquino. “I want to be a part of this historic moment so I came near the Grandstand to look at my President,” Villacruz told police.

However, when he returned to the place where he parked his motorcycle past 12 noon the vehicle was gone.

There were other persons who could not find their parked vehicles, including media people, but decided not to put their complaint in police blotter after they were told by anti-carnapping head Chief Inspector Randy Maluyo that their vehicles may have been towed as part of the elaborate security plan for Aquino’s oath taking.