After the May 1 jitters, Palace back to normal

Back to normal.

The firetrucks, barbed wire, forklifts and container vans have been removed from the roads leading to the country’s seat of government.

Security provisions at Malacañang were back to normal yesterday following the massive mobilization of troops and forces from the police and military to protect the Palace from potential troublemakers during the Labor Day rallies.

President Arroyo herself shrugged off criticisms that the security preparations were "an overkill," meant largely to avert a reprise of the May 1, 2001 riots staged by loyalists of deposed President Joseph Estrada.

"That’s (overkill security) better so that they will know that the government is prepared," Mrs. Arroyo said.

And it’s business as usual for the government.

"And now we can say we have passed the test of stability of our country. Perhaps we can say this is the last hurdle and we can go on business as usual in running our government," the President said.

"But I told my Cabinet members and officials, ‘Okay, it’s now time again, since we were able to come out in a way victorious, let’s be magnanimous. Let us start again to reach out so we can have unity," she said.

The President pointed out the preparations made by the various law enforcement agencies and the Presidential Security Group headed by Brig. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., a Basilan war hero, had achieved their objective.

National Security Adviser Roilo Golez told The STAR yesterday security measures at the Palace were just "precautionary" and that it was "better to be safe than sorry."

"There’s no overkill. In fact the public was very satisfied with the peaceful outcome of the protest rallies," Golez pointed out. "Only those possibly with mischievous plans think it’s overkill."

Golez admitted last year’s experience with the pro-Estrada loyalists who laid siege on Malacañang was a wake-up call to prevent any security lapses.

"Because they did it last year, it’s just like a person with a criminal record. We have to do this to protect the public against rowdy groups," Golez said.

Mrs. Arroyo recalled how similar stringent security measures were

implemented in New York last January when she attended the World Economic Forum, months after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that leveled the World Trade Center.

She expressed satisfaction that there was no major violent incident that took place in the different large protest gatherings in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

"That’s very good and I’m thankful to the Lord and to our law enforcement officials for these preparations. And I’m also thankful to the protesters because they kept their rallies peaceful," the President told last Wednesday night’s Saksi TV news program over GMA-7.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Leandro Mendoza lauded yesterday all police units for preempting possible violent activities in the generally peaceful observance of Labor Day.

Mendoza also relayed to all units nationwide the commendation of Mrs. Arroyo to the PNP for assuring peace and order the other day, preventing a repetition of last year’s bloody May 1 riots.

In a post-operation report to the Chief Executive, Mendoza cited the elaborate security plan laid out by the PNP that led to the interception of explosives carried by suspected terrorists in Tarlac City and Batangas.

"These explosives could have been used to disrupt the peaceful celebrations of Labor Day," the PNP chief said.

For his part, Partido ng Masang Pilipino spokesman Jesus Crispin Remulla said he was willing to sit down with leftist groups whose members were also detained by police in various entrances to Metro Manila last Wednesday.

He said they would gather affidavits and other evidence prior to the filing of appropriate charges before the courts against PNP officers and men for denying the protesters their right to free expression and peaceful assembly.

"I am willing to sit down with the leaders of the KMU, Bayan and Sanlakas, among others, so we can gather evidence and affidavits for use as evidence against the PNP," Remulla said.

He stressed the right to travel freely in any part of the country is guaranteed by the Constitution "but General Mendoza does not respect the rights of our people."

Aside from the pro-Estrada supporters, police contingents at the entrances to the North Expressway in Bulacan and Tarlac, the South Luzon Tollway in Calamba, Laguna and at Coastal Road in Cavite, also barred members of Sanlakas, Buklurang Manggagawang Pilipino, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and Kilusang Mayo Uno from joining their comrades for a mammoth rally in front of Malacañang.

GMA belittles ouster calls

In the same TV interview Wednesday night, Mrs. Arroyo belittled calls for her ouster by leftist groups.

She said she was neither surprised nor alarmed by these ouster calls from KMU and Bayan.

"They don’t have much support," Mrs. Arroyo quipped in Filipino, adding she did not have much to say to communists because they have a different ideology.

Esperon said even if the supposed massive turnout of protesters did not materialize, "we cannot take things for granted."

"They (anti-Arroyo groups) failed to produce the mass support they expected," the general said.

Meanwhile, the PNP expressed belief that the team of Mindanaoans, wherein one was killed and another arrested after a firefight with lawmen in Tarlac on Labor Day, were in a test mission to conduct a series of terror activities in the province.

Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina, PNP spokesman, said investigators are in the process of establishing further the links of Omar Mayuno to various local terror groups.

Espina said the PNP has coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration to determine the background of Sheikh Hamod, said to be an Arab who leads the "Haraka" organization, to which Mayuno admitted membership.

"We are still looking for him (Hamod) and trying to determine his background," he said.

In bolstering the angle of the test mission, Espina noted that Mayuno seemed to have submitted himself to blind obedience to Khalid, who was killed after resisting police arrest.

Mayuno referred to Khalid as "Amir," meaning teacher.

"What was puzzling is their possession of four hand grenades and two handguns. As to Haraka, we are still determining what kind of group this is," the police spokesman said.

Espina also announced the arrest of three men in Sto. Tomas, Batangas at a PNP checkpoint on the eve of Labor Day. Noel Acbang and Mark Anthony Merced were arrested for possession of explosives, while Michael de Guia was nabbed with an unlicensed firearm. — Marichu Villanueva, Christina Mendez, Jose Rodel Clapano