Militants slip past cops, hold lightning rally at Mendiola

Militant youths and artists again gave police and presidential guards the slip as they held a lightning rally near Mendiola Bridge near Malacañang Thursday. Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported the militants, who included members of artists' group Ugat-Lahi, brought nine tarpaulins with images of effigies of President Arroyo. The rally was a prelude to major protest actions near the Batasan Complex in Quezon City this coming Monday, in time for Mrs. Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (SONA). However, police and presidential guards managed to roll out barbed wire and prevent the militants from crossing the bridge. Police and military forces in Metro Manila are on alert for rallies and other SONA-related protests. Earlier, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. reminded soldiers dealing with protesters not to use guns. For his part, Metro Manila police head Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales said police will use closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems to monitor militants' movements. The Commission on Human Rights will deploy teams to the rally sites on Monday to check for possible rights violations. - GMANews.TV