FPJ stays out of limelight

While President Arroyo basked in the glory of her inaugural yesterday, her defeated rival Fernando Poe Jr. chose to keep out of the limelight, spending the day at his home in San Juan.

Sorsogon Rep. Francis Escudero, Poe’s spokesman, said the popular movie actor had some scheduled appointments and meetings at his residence on Lincoln street in Greenhills, but it was not clear if these pushed through.

"He’s okay," Escudero said when asked about Poe’s condition.

Poe’s close aides, however, said Poe appeared dejected in the past few days, especially after the violent dispersal by the police of his supporters during a protest rally in Quezon City on Tuesday.

Poe, who claims the Arroyo camp cheated him of victory in the May 10 polls, led some 3,000 of his supporters in the anti-government rally at the Mabuhay Rotunda at the Manila-Quezon City boundary.

Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to stop the advancing rallyists.

While Escudero condemned the dispersal, Poe asked his supporters to calm down.

Poe’s close aides said the actor expressed worry over the rallyists hurt in the dispersal.

While water from a firetruck stopped the pro-Poe demonstration, rainwater from a typhoon prevented the massing of more of his followers during the inaugural rites yesterday of Mrs. Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro.

The inauguration activities went smoothly in Manila and Cebu without the anticipated lightning protests and other disturbances projected by the President’s political opponents and detractors, police said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao gave the assessment after the President was inaugurated in Cebu following her inaugural address at the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park yesterday.

He said the ground security provided by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) reported no untoward incident and mass protest actions in the metropolis.

The weather seemingly cooperated with the historic event as there was not even a drizzle when Mrs. Arroyo, the country’s 14th president, delivered her inaugural address before an estimated crowd of 20,000 to 30,000 in Luneta.

The NCRPO fielded 17,000 personnel to ensure the overall security of Metro Manila.

Rains fell only after the President and her entourage left for Cebu City for her oath-taking.

In the afternoon, a downpour forced the dispersal of some 200 rallyists at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila.

A portion of the stretch of Roxas Boulevard was closed to traffic to further ensure the safety of the people who attended the event.

At high noon in Cebu City, an estimated crowd of 50,000 gathered at the Ceby provincial capitol to witness the President being sworn into office by Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.

"The ceremonies in Cebu City were peaceful and orderly just like in Manila," Goltiao said, attributing this to police and public vigilance.

"Several groups planning to stage simultaneous mass protest actions were prevailed upon and persuaded to observe the solemnity of the occasion," he said.

From the Mactan International Airport, Mrs. Arroyo motored to the provincial capitol amid a cheering crowd lining both sides of the streets, he added.

NCRPO chief Director Ricardo de Leon lauded yesterday the 17,000-strong metro police force for a job well done.

De Leon noted that the metropolis has been secured effectively by "ordinary men with ordinary traits but who did their task extraordinarily well" since the canvassing of votes began about a month ago up until the inauguration of Mrs. Arroyo and De Castro.

The "gallantry" of these men and women in uniform should be told in the pages of this nation’s history, he said. "I will also tell them the story of your extraordinary sacrifices and heroism."

De Leon also lauded the citizens of Metro Manila for their improved trust and confidence on their police force.

The Western Police District (WPD) enforced strict measures at the Rizal Park area with policemen deployed as early as dawn yesterday to search the bags and belongings of the people there.

At about 10 a.m., a portion of T. M. Kalaw street was closed to traffic and temporarily turned into a parking area.

In her inaugural address, the President renewed her call for unity among Filipinos as she gave a 10-point agenda which she will prioritize in her six-year term. Topping her list are education, computerization of the election process, traffic decongestion, peace and order and political stability.

The Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP), of which Poe was standard-bearer, took a swipe at the President’s inauguration speech.

In a statement, the KNP said they hoped for unity and prosperity "for the sake of the nation." But in the same breadth, the opposition was skeptical that the President’s new government would be able to achieve her goals.

The KNP also criticized the government for "brutally suppressing" the basic rights of people expressing their sentiments, obviously referring to the dispersed Poe rally last Tuesday.

"How can she heal the divisions of the nation when the rights of citizens to free speech and free assembly are brutally suppressed in the streets? How can we face the solutions to our national problems if the solutions are nothing but illusions based on delusions?" the KNP said in a statement.

Expectedly, the opposition party went back to the canvassing of votes where Mrs. Arroyo’s allies blocked their attempts to have the election returns opened to prove that Poe was a victim of electoral fraud.

The KNP also assailed the President for taking her oath of office in Cebu City as a gesture of thanks to the region where she received the highest number of votes.

However, it can be recalled the KNP had announced before that if Poe won, he would consider holding his inauguration in his birthplace of Pangasinan or in Mindanao to give importance to the neglected island.

Sergio Blanco, a Parañaque resident who went to Manila to personally hear the President’s inauguration speech, said it was "direct to the point."

"I hope she will fulfill it," Blanco said.

Carlo Pascual, another resident of Parañaque, said Mrs. Arroyo’s speech was "simple and realistic."

NCRPO Reacts

The NCRPO, meanwhile, denied allegations of pro-Poe supporters that a minor was killed during Tuesday’s police dispersal operations of Poe supporters at the Mabuhay Rotunda.

De Leon took no offense to charges hurled by Poe, who earlier said the violent dispersal was an act showing martial rule by the government.

"Our police personnel merely upheld their sworn duty to maintain the rule of law and acted to protect the rights of the citizenry," he said.

Police probers were coordinating with the management of Burger King fast-food restaurant at Mabuhay Rotunda to assess the damage to their restaurant caused by Poe’s supporters. Charges may be filed soon afterwards against the suspects.

Poe’s aides said that after the rally was dispersed, Poe and a number of his political leaders and supporers stayed at a restaurant along Quezon Avenue until dawn yesterday.

They said Poe led the group in monitoring the condition of rallyists who were injured during the dispersal operations.

"He (Poe) was very concerned about those who got hit during the violent dispersal and those who were brought to the hospital," a male staff of Poe said.

He said Poe’s supporters at the restaurant were asking him for instructions on what to do next but the actor just told them to keep their cool.

The aide denied that Poe has been going around the country to incite the people to rise up against the Arroyo administration.

"He (Poe) is just thanking them for their support and asking them to calm down," he said.

Poe was supposed to deliver a message to his supporters but the rally was dispersed, the aide added.

The Poe camp condemned the police dispersal, saying some groups in the administration are either paranoid or trying to impress Malacañang.

But for the NCRPO director, his men were worth commending.

"Even as the investigation continues, our collective accomplishments as a unit is pace-setting and established unprecedented benchmarks in security operations despite the numerous challenges we have had within a highly-urbanized environment," De Leon said.

Based on the parameters set by the PNP headquarters, the NCRPO bested all other regional police offices nationwide in terms of operational accomplishments — obtaining the highest rating of 92.18 points — from May 11, or the day after the national elections to yesterday, June 30.

In the said period, the NCRPO recorded at least 145 rallies and demonstrations in Metro Manila mostly organized by the political opposition and party-list groups.

On this number, the NCRPO conducted at least 12 dispersal operations with no major casualty recorded, said NCRPO spokesman Chief Inspector Bart Bustamante.

As the President took her oath of office, leaders of militant groups took turns assailing her.

They said the dispersal of Tuesday’s "peaceful rally" was a prelude of what people can expect from her "fascist regime."

Judging by the violent dispersal of Poe’s supporters, lawyer Ed Araullo of the Kilos ng Bagong Umaga said the "fight is now for democracy."

Araullo criticized Mrs. Arroyo for "preventing the Filipinos from uniting to topple her."

"You cheated and lost. You are the people’s number one enemy. You will continue to face the people’s wrath," Millet Morante of the Kilusan Para sa Pambansang Demokrasya warned Mrs. Arroyo.

Rep. Rene Magtubo of the Partido ng Manggagawa urged the people not to be afraid of the violence being inflicted by the police.

He also doubted that the President’s 10-point program will succeed. "She also has the same economic policies that were already a failure in her first three years (as president." — With Christina Mendez, Non Alquitran, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Nikko Dizon