Binay to sue Arroyo execs responsible for blocking protestors

The United Opposition (UNO), headed by Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, vowed Saturday to file charges against government officials responsible for preventing demonstrators from Southern Luzon and other areas from attending the interfaith rally in Makati last Friday. Binay said he has already formed a legal team led by lawyer and UNO spokesman Adel Tamano to study what specific charges can be filed against government officials who blocked protestors. "We are seriously contemplating filing charges against government officials who were responsible for harassing and preventing people from exercising their Constitutional rights," Binay said. Binay also assailed the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Air Transport Office (ATO) for suddenly declaring Makati as a no-fly zone last Friday. He said the PNP and the ATO’s declaration of Makati as a no fly zone last Friday has effectively grounded the helicopter of television stations from airing live footage of the interfaith rally. "The action of the PNP and the ATO is again another infringement on the exercise of press freedom. It is intended to stop media from performing their work, with the aim of preventing people in their homes from seeing the massive assembly in Makati," Binay said. Binay blasted the Arroyo administration for "attempting to intimidate" rally participants and "misusing the powers of government" to prevent people from attending the rally, which organizers said drew a record crowd of 80,000. He said the interfaith rally last Friday was, so far, the largest anti-Arroyo protest. The opposition leader said in an effort to intimidate people, authorities set up checkpoints and roadblocks on all major roads leading to Makati. Binay also deplored the military's claim of a supposed terrorist plot to bomb the rally, and the deployment of battalions of combat-ready troops and tanks at Fort Bonifacio, which near the rally site. "The Arroyo administration put on a massive but largely ineffective show of force in an attempt to prevent people from attending the interfaith rally. But the number of people whom came to the rally speaks eloquently about the level of disgust over the Arroyo administration," Binay said. Binay said UNO has started getting statements from those who were stopped by police in various areas in Metro Manila and Southern Luzon. "The opposition is already coordinating with organizers of these marches and we have started getting the statements from participants," Binay said. - GMANews.TV