NCRPO on full alert

The 17,000-strong National Capital Regional Police Office was placed on full alert starting 6 p.m. yesterday as the impeachment hearing against President Arroyo resumes today at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City.

NCRPO chief Director Vidal Querol said all crowd and disturbance management (CDM) units of the five police districts in Metro Manila were placed on standby and ready for deployment amid threats by the Opposition and the coalition of militant groups to stage protest actions along the Batasan Road. Querol said an initial 300 anti-riot policemen will be deployed infront of the Batasan building to prevent pro-Arroyo and pro-impeachment rallyists from clashing.

The NCRPO has also coordinated with Lt. Gen. Allan Cabalquinto, head of the National Capital Region of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the availability of military anti-riot squads in today’s protest rally.

To prevent a bloody confrontation between the CDM units and the pro-impeachment supporters, Querol banned the rallyists from occupying the main gate of the Batasan complex.

At least 25 cops and rallyists were hurt during a violent con-frontation between the two opposing forces in the area last week. "We will allow pro-Arroyo and pro-impeachment forces to stage rallies but they must position themselves some 50 meters or even farther from the left side and the right side of the gate," said Querol. "The main gate will be declared as zone of neutrality and security."

Querol asked rally organizers to be responsible enough and see to it that their supporters would not repeat last week’s incident where rallyists were seen on TV footages throwing stones at the policemen.

The NCRPO chief has directed Chief Superintendent Nicasio Radovan, director of the Quezon City Police District to touch base with the rally organizers to establish guidelines for the peaceful holding of their protest rally.

Querol said the "no permit, no rally" policy will strictly be implemented today. "I’m advising rally organizers to secure a mayor’s permit first, as we will disperse them once they fail to present such document," said Querol. According to Querol, the NCRPO will maintain maximum tolerance in dealing with the pro-Arroyo and pro-impeachment rallyists. He said the pro-impeachment rallyists should not block the streets like what they have done last week because they will automatically be dispersed. "We respect their right to assemble and free speech but they must allow the majority to use the streets," said Querol.

He said that he placed the NCRPO on full alert also to prevent terrorists from taking advantage of the situation.

The NCRPO, he said, will heighten its security on vital government and private installations in Metro Manila like the Pandacan oil depots, bus terminals, MRT and LRT terminals, commercial centers and airports and seaports.