Manila cops on alert for militants' noise barrage

MANILA, Philippines - Manila police were placed on alert in the city's University Belt and at Mendiola Bridge near Malacañang in time for a militant group's noise barrage against rising prices of basic goods. Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported early Wednesday that police had mapped out contingency plans for a possible surprise march to Mendiola by the protesters. But as of early Wednesday morning, the MPD had yet to close off Mendiola to traffic in time for the noise barrage, which was scheduled at 4 to 6 p.m. Organizers led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said they would "stay" along España Avenue in Sampaloc for their noise barrage. However, the MPD noted that militant groups have had a track record of surprise marches to Mendiola, which Malacañang declared a no-rally zone. Last Monday, Bayan said the noise barrage in Metro Manila aims to protest high prices of basic goods such as fuel and rice. It said the Arroyo administration should be held accountable for the high prices, which it said stemmed from its "anti-people" economic policies. "We hold the Arroyo regime accountable for the unprecedented levels in the prices of rice and oil because of its anti-people economic policies. As far as I can remember, this is the first time that oil and rice have reached record prices at the same time. Both products are not simple goods but two of the most socially sensitive and highly political commodities. Mrs Arroyo cannot simply dismiss the high prices as a result of global market forces that are beyond government's control," said secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. While the noise barrage is ongoing, mobile teams of activists were to go around residential communities and public markets to explain the issues of high prices. Pots, pans Protesters are expected to bring empty pots and pans, a reference to the rice and oil crisis, Bayan said in a statement Monday. "High fuel prices and rice prices have resulted in empty pots and pans for many Filipino families. These two kitchen utensils have again become signs of the times," Reyes said. Reyes said the high prices of rice and fuel belie government claims of economic growth, saying its adherence to liberalization, privatization, and deregulation brought intolerable burdens on the poor. As a result, he said, "people are feeling the burden of high prices, not the benefits of so-called economic growth." Bayan's monitoring showed the pump price of diesel is already nearing the P40 per liter mark and liquefied petroleum gas is now pegged at around P576 per 11-kg tank. "We have already warned that if the government will not intervene, prices of diesel could reach more than P46 a liter, gasoline at almost P50, and LPG, more than P708 per tank," he said. - GMANews.TV