Militants, cops engage in shoving match near US Embassy

Tension gripped the area near the United States Embassy in Manila as militant farmers and anti-riot policemen engaged in a shoving match there Tuesday afternoon.

 

Farmers from various provinces had marched to the Embassy but were blocked near Roxas Boulevard, radio dzBB's Paulo Santos reported.

 

The report said some of the police had to use nightsticks to hit some of the farmers who insisted on getting near the embassy grounds.

 

It cited police estimates indicating there were as many as 2,000 farmers in the march.

 

Anti-riot police had kept watch over the embassy grounds on Independence Day to make sure protesters do not get close to it.

 

Earlier Tuesday, the Philippine National Police said the activities related to Independence Day had been generally peaceful.

 

But PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome said they will remain alert and keep watch over areas where Independence Day-related activities had been scheduled in the afternoon and evening, dzBB's Benjie Liwanag Jr. reported.

 

Earlier Tuesday, militants held a rally at Mendiola Bridge near Malacañang before noon to demand what they called genuine land reform from the Aquino administration.

 

The rally was relatively peaceful, with the militants marching to the United States Embassy along Roxas Boulevard in the afternoon. –KG, GMA News