Electrification of fence around Malacañang Palace

Some quarters seem to have misunderstood the rationale behind the electrification of the steel fence that surrounds Malacañang Palace. They seemed to be under the impression that the fence will be electrified 24 hours a day, day in, day out. Second, that the electricity will be strong enough to electrocute persons who touch the fence.

The truth is that the electricity will only be on when there are demonstrators that are threatening to enter the palace by fence and that the electricity will only be strong enough to prevent people from climbing over the metal fence. But no one can possibly be seriously harmed by the current. This is being done to prevent any future unlawful attempt to invade the palace.

If we were in charge of the palace security, we would go one step further. We would also provide the policemen’s shield with batteries that would prevent unruly demonstrators from pushing the shields of policemen who are trying to prevent them from assaulting the palace.

If anything, the Armed Forces and the police should be praised at the way they conducted themselves in the last May 1st riot. They exercised maximum tolerance to the letter. Even the people who were throwing rocks at them were not harmed. There is no question that the demonstrators went out of hand. Unlike EDSA I and EDSA II, the May First affair was anything but peaceful. The palace should also be commended from stopping the prosecution of all those who were arrested. The evidence of their unlawful behavior was recorded by media, including the overturning and destruction of media trucks. Yet, the palace has dropped the charges against them.

People have a right to demonstrate. This coming Monday, there is a planned demonstration by various groups that will be timed with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address. We hope that it will be peaceful and that the purpose of the demonstration is to have the opportunity to ventilate their grievances in a democratic way.

The only way to resolve any disagreement is by determining not who is right, but what is right. And we can disagree, but let us not be illogical. Some people cannot tell a lie. Some cannot tell the truth. The worst are those who cannot tell the difference.

We will always uphold the right to demonstrate peacefully. We will always oppose violent demonstrations.