No permit, no rally during Powell visit

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will strictly enforce a "no permit, no rally" policy on militant groups planning protest actions during the visit of US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Manila this week.

Acting PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Cipriano Querol said police would immediately disperse demonstrators if a rally permit from the involved local government unit has not been secured.

"The no permit, no rally policy has always been applied whenever a foreign official comes to the country," Querol pointed out.

Powell, who arrives in Manila on Friday, is currently on a seven-nation Asian swing for talks with US allies. The US official will immediately meet with President Arroyo at Malacañang to discuss closer Philippine-US cooperation in the war against terrorism.

Nationalist and militant groups have been holding regular protest actions in front of the US Embassy in Manila since the RP-US military exercises began in Mindanao early this year. Activists have denounced the continued presence of US troops, saying the war drills were merely a prelude to the return of American bases in the country.

Anti-US activists have seen more reason to hold rallies to welcome Powell following accusations that a US soldier had shot a tribesman in Tuburan, Basilan last week.

Querol said the PNP is hoping that demonstrations leading to injury to persons or damage to property would not take place this week.

"It would be a shame if such a rally would welcome the visiting US official," he said.

Meanwhile, Malacañang warned anti-US and left-leaning groups yesterday to observe "maximum tolerance" behavior if they plan to hold rallies during Powell’s visit to Manila.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye reiterated the President’s decision to suspend its maximum tolerance policy in dealing with violent rallies despite strong objection raised by human rights groups.

"The President has already enunciated her policy of suspending the maximum tolerance policy. So they (demonstrators) should observe maximum tolerance behavior," Bunye said. – Jaime Laude, Marichu Villanueva