3 hurt, 6 nabbed in Mendiola clash

At least three persons were wounded and six others were arrested by police after pro and anti-Estrada rallyists clashed at the historic Chino Roces bridge (formerly Mendiola bridge) yesterday.

After President Estrada failed to resign by 6 a.m. yesterday, at least 40,000 anti-Estrada rallyists led by various militant groups marched towards the bridge from the EDSA Shrine.

One group headed by Bayan Muna party officials Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casino, led some 20,000 rallyists at 8 a.m. from their assembly point at the corner of España and Manuel dela Fuente streets towards Mendiola.

But instead of going straight towards the bridge via Nicanor Reyes street (formerly Morayta) which is the shorter route, the rallyists instead chose to go through J.P. Laurel Street.

The march, however, was stopped upon reaching J.P. Laurel when policemen in full riot gear and two buses blocked their path. When the rallyists failed to convince the police to let them through they then marched to Mendiola by way of Legarda street.

At about 8:45 a.m., violence erupted when some 80 pro-Estrada supporters, mostly belonging to the People’s Movement Against Poverty, agitated by the taunting anti-Estrada rallyists, started throwing stones at the arriving crowd. Fortunately, nobody was hurt though police fired warning shots in the air to quell the violence.

Police later arrested two Estrada supporters identified as Mervin Pingol, 23, of H 20 Tayabas st., Tondo; and Richard Martinez, 28, of 161, San Antonio, Tiaong, Quezon. They were detained at the University Belt Area police detachment and were charged with disturbance of the peace.

Police then cordoned off the pro-Estrada rallyists infront of the Corona bookstore near the foot of the bridge and placed an iron barricade to prevent them from attacking the anti-Estrada demonstrators.

At about 11 p.m., the second anti-Estrada group led by another Bayan Muna leader Nathaniel Santiago arrived at Nicanor Reyes street and was preparing to march towards the bridge along Claro M. Recto street.

The sudden arrival of the group alerted the WPD anti-riot group who rushed to assemble a phalanx of truncheon and shield-bearing cops to block them.

The rallyists were later allowed to advance towards a new position infront of the San Sebastian College where they sung the national anthem with clenched fists. The second group of anti-Estrada rallyists then arrived and was permitted by police to stay at a spot near the bridge.

Thirty-minutes later, pandemonium broke loose when the anti-Estrada rallyists suddenly rushed towards the bridge after Chief Superintendent Romeo Maganto who suddenly appeared in the crowd, allegedly told them to advance.

The rush caught the WPD policemen flat-footed as they chased the rallyists and reestablished position near the statue of Chino Roces.

Because of the incident, Razon engaged Maganto in a heated discourse that resulted to "dagger" stares and shoving between the two officers.

Tension between the two generals was eased a bit after the arrival of National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Edgar Aglipay.

Aglipay later told reporters that Maganto, who heads the Department of Interior and Local Government’s Task Force Katapat, is now the subject of an investigation with the possibility of dismissal from service for allegedly allowing the crowd to advance without the consent of Razon who was then the designated ground commander.

"He is now the subject of an investigation for instigating the crowd against the order of Cardinal Sin and Vice President Gloria Macagapal Arroyo," Aglipay said.

Tension further grew upon the rallyists’ arrival at the bridge. The rallyists then proceeded to destroy the tent and stage erected by the pro-Estrada group.

Razon, who was fuming mad because of the security breach, ordered three fire trucks to be ready for a possible crowd dispersal.

However, heads cooled-down and Razon ordered the fire trucks to back off.

Tension again rose at 12:45 p.m. following news of Macapagal-Arroyo’s oath-taking as the 14th President of the Republic. The report was met by cheers from the anti-Estrada groups but was not welcomed by the handful of remaining pro-Estrada supporters who again started a stoning spree.

The stone throwing incident left three wounded victims identified as Gabby Timalo, 18, a student of the Rizal Technological College in Mandaluyong City, who was wounded in the right wrist; Jennifer Tolores, 18, a sidewalk vendor; and Joel Mendoza, 49, of Baseco compound, Tondo, a pro-Estrada rallyist, who was hit in the head after he was reportedly cornered by chasing anti-Estrada rallyists.

Police later arrested a suspect in the second incident identified as Paul Lugo, 20, a resident of San Juan.

Later, police dispersed the remaining pro-Estrada rallyists. The anti-Estrada rallyists, failed to break through the police barricades and settled with songs of protests and chants at their spot on the bridge.

The anti-Estrada rallyists stayed on the bridge until 4 p.m. when they peacefully dispersed.

WPD deputy district director for administration Senior Superintendent Marcelino Franco described yesterday’s tension-filled moments as "relatively peaceful." – Nestor Etolle and Ella Oducayen