Militants start 'protest' as cops, soldiers heighten alert for SONA

Even as police and military forces in Metro Manila raised their alert levels early Friday ahead of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III's first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 26, militants started to grumble over the restrictions on protest actions.

Militant groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan started chiding Aquino and his administration, protesting about the restrictions on their protest actions, including Aquino’s reported statement that the SONA rally should be held inside Quezon Memorial Circle.

"We are dismayed by this initial reaction of the President. We had hoped the new administration would be more flexible in listening to the peoples clamor for change. His predecessor, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, during her first SONA, allowed rallyists to march as far as the Sandiganbayan and Batasan Road," Bayan said on its website Thursday night.

"We had hoped the new administration would be more open to people peacefully expressing their views. Our issues include human rights, jobs, land, social services and justice and the various problems left behind by the Arroyo regime," it added.

While the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) went on heightened alert, the Armed Forces' Metro Manila command went on red alert starting 6 a.m. Friday.

Battalions of soldiers, each battalion composed of 500 personnel, were to be deployed to secure the Batasan area in Quezon City where Aquino will deliver his SONA.

Some 4,000 police will be on hand to guard the area near the Batasan complex while some 6,000 will guard other areas of Metro Manila.

On the other hand, Bayan said the desire to march as near as possible to Batasan was even endorsed by the Commission on Human Rights Metro Manila during the stakeholders dialogue with the PNP and the Quezon City government.

It said the PNP did not immediately object to the idea of marching as close as possible to the Batasan.

"The SONA [protest] activity has a long tradition of being held in the streets. No president after Marcos has ever imposed on demonstrators to do the SONA protest inside Quezon Memorial Circle. Rally organizers have repeatedly assured government authorities that the activity will be peaceful and organized," it said.

"Is this a prelude of things to come? Is this an indicator of the level of tolerance of this government towards those that do not necessarily agree with it 100%?" it added.

Source: GmaNews