Tribesmen, protesters sneak past cops, reach Mendiola

A group of tribesmen from Southern Luzon and anti-administration marchers managed to do Thursday what militant groups have so far failed to do since 2004: Set foot on Mendiola Bridge near Malacañang. Radio station dzBB reported that the tribesmen called for a stop to the killing of their colleagues who are being mistaken for leftist leaders. Members of the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) allegedly joined them in the protest action, timed at the occasion of the Indigenous Peoples Day. The report said the protesters rode 15 jeepneys to the rally site. The protesters took Manila policemen stationed at Mendiola by surprise. Lawmen scrambled to block them from getting through Mendiola Bridge and nearer to the Malacañang complex. The protesters arrived unannounced in passenger jeeps and managed to get by police stationed at Morayta Street, who did not notice anything suspicious. As they approached Mendiola, however, they got off the jeeps and brought out native instruments along with streamers calling for an end to the killings. Mendiola has been considered a "no-rally" zone since 2004. Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim partially reopened it to protesters, allowing them to protest there but only on holidays. Meanwhile, traffic near Mendiola Bridge was snarled Thursday morning as anti-riot police and the tribesmen protesters clashed. - GMANews.TV