Rallies okayed in 3 cities; EDSA shrine, Mendiola still off-limits

(Updated 10:18 a.m.) Aside from Mendiola near Malacañang, the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City will also remain off-limits to any rally related to the Sandiganbayan's promulgation of the plunder case against former President Joseph Estrada on Wednesday. Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr, Philippine National Police deputy for administration, said Tuesday that as of 10 p.m. Monday, only three cities have given permits for rallies in connection with the graft court's verdict. "We continue to monitor the situation, and we are coordinating with chief executives," Razon said in Filipino on dzRH radio Tuesday morning. He said that so far, the local governments of Quezon City, Makati City and Pasay City have approved the conduct of such rallies for Wednesday. Incidentally, he said the city government of Manila has not approved any application for a rally. Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim is a political ally of Estrada. It was not immediately clear, however, how many requests for rally permits have been filed before the Manila City Hall. Razon said the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City remains a no-rally zone. He said the decision came from bishops who run the Shrine. "The bishops refused to allow rallies at the EDSA Shrine," he said. Bishops declared the EDSA Shrine a no-rally zone after Estrada's supporters stormed the area shortly after Estrada's arrested in April 25, 2001 and subsequently detained on plunder charges. The EDSA Shrine site was the symbolic staging ground for the People Power revolts of 1986 and 2001. Razon said a police contingent has been detailed to the Shrine to guard against rallies and to make sure it is "cleared of demonstrations." Earlier, police and presidential guards already secured Malacañang with container vans and barbed-wire fences. Guarding the river For its part, the Coast Guard has deployed personnel to the Pasig River as it beefs up security near Malacañang Palace. Radio dzBB reported Tuesday that Coast Guard patrol ships with high-powered weapons patrolled the Pasig River area, in coordination with the Presidential Security Group. Lieutenant Senior Grade Armand Balilo, Coast Guard spokesman, said the Coast Guard patrol ship will also keep guard over the Pandacan oil depot. Balilo said a Special Operations Group is manning the patrol craft. Close watch As this developed, the multi-sectoral Black and White Movement (BWM) said it would not participate in rallies timed at the Sandiganbayan's verdict. Radio dzBB quoted BWM convenor Leah Navarro as saying that the group will stay off the streets on Wednesday even as she assured that it will closely monitor the outcome of Estrada's six-year plunder case. BWM counts among its members key figures of the People Power revolt of 2001 which forced Estrada out of Malacañang and ushered Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the presidency. Its proponents include the "Hyatt 10," the group of former Arroyo Cabinet officials who quit during the height of the "Hello, Garci" scandal in 2005. Navarro said the group is hopeful that the Sandiganbayan will render a fair verdict and that justice would be served. In a related development, Navarro expressed her desire to expose what she reportedly called the "real deal" behind the government's controversial $329-million broadband network deal with China-run ZTE Corp. She said the alleged anomaly amounted to "super plunder." - GMANews.TV