Tiff with cops mars militants' ‘return’ to Mendiola

A 30-minute tiff with riot police marred an otherwise smooth return of militant groups to the historic Mendiola Bridge near Malacañang in Manila Sunday. It took an order from Manila mayor Alfredo Lim for riot police from the Manila Police District to allow the marchers from the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) to reach Mendiola. “Mga 30 minutes kami naantala, hinarangan dahil nagmamagaling ang MPD sa interpretation na nakasaad sa permit (We were delayed for 30 minutes because some boneheaded policemen tried to interpret our permit)," Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said in an interview on dzBB radio. The militants marched to Mendiola to protest the first day of the implementation of the anti-terrorism law. They plan to ask the Supreme Court Tuesday to restrain the implementation. With them were residents displaced by government clearing operations to make way for the North- and South Rail projects. It was also a homecoming of sorts for the militants, who along with groups opposed to the Arroyo government had been barred from reaching the foot of the bridge since June 2004. Earlier, Reyes admitted Bayan had an internal arrangement with supporters of former President Joseph Estrada to rally at Mendiola Bridge. He said the group led by Jose Alcuaz secured a permit but decided not to push through with their rally, and “transferred" their permit to Bayan. Reyes said the Bayan marchers were blocked along C.M. Recto Avenue, causing a traffic jam in the area. “Buti si Mayor Lim nag-intervene at pinag-utos sa pulis na padaanan kami. Buti binuksan ang Mendiola during weekend para sa protesta (It’s a good thing Lim intervened and ordered the cops to let us pass. And it’s a good thing Mendiola was opened during the weekend to protesters)," Reyes said. Meanwhile, Reyes said Bayan will file with the high court on Tuesday its petition for a temporary restraining order against the anti-terror law. He said it was “very urgent" that the high court stop the implementation of the law because it can be abused. “Di muna kami magfa-file sa Lunes kasi may summit on extra-judicial killings. Sa Tuesday na lang kami magfa-file (We’re not filing it Monday because the high court will head a summit on extra-judicial killings. We’ll file it on Tuesday)," he said. On the other hand, Reyes scored national security adviser Norberto Gonzales’ claim that it is better to have an anti-terrorism law without implementing guidelines than to have no law at all. Reyes said the new law is too broad and will violate ordinary citizens’ right to due process through warrantless arrests, detention for three days without charges, and the prospect of being brought abroad to face terrorism charges. “Nakakatakot sa ordinaryong taong mamamayan, parang Martial Law na di deklaradong Martial Law (This is very scary for the ordinary Filipino. It’s like undeclared Martial Law)," he said. - GMANews.TV