1,500 cops to be deployed at Mendiola rally

MANILA, Philippines - At least 1,500 Manila policemen will be deployed when various left-leaning and militant groups celebrate today the 33rd anniversary of the Mendiola massacre, which left 13 people killed.

Metro police chief Director Roberto Rosales expects a peaceful gathering as police officials of the Manila Police District and rally leaders agreed on ground rules to prevent a violent confrontation between anti-riot policemen and rallyists. “We will exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with the rallyists,” said Rosales.

Rosales said MPD director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay and Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes met at City Hall Tuesday and agreed on certain rules and regulations for a peaceful and orderly gathering.

The Metro police chief expects the rallyists to abide by their agreement including to disperse peacefully at 5 p.m.

According to Rosales, some farmers from Southern Tagalog are already in Metro Manila.

They were supposed to camp in at the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City but Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele, director of the Eastern Police District shooed them away so as not to desecrate the solemn place.

Only on Mendiola bridge

“The rallyists can shout their hearts out but they must only be at the foot of the Mendiola bridge. We would not allow them to march on near the Malacañang gates,” said Rosales.

Magtibay said Reyes promised to police their ranks and prevent marchers from spray-painting nearby private and government installations.

“We would deploy our men the sides of the streets to avoid violent confrontation,” said Magtibay.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, the district director of the MPD during the massacre, said he would allow the rallyists at the foot of the Don Chino bridge (formerly Mendiola) today.

A group of farmers belonging to the Kilusang Mambubukid sa Pilipinas were fired upon by government troops at the culmination of their protest action to demand genuine land reform from the Aquino government on Jan. 22, 1987.

Reports showed that 13 protestors were killed, 39 others sustained gunshot wounds, 12 have minor injuries.

On the government side, three police or military personnel sustained gunshot wounds, while 20 others sustained minor injuries.

Bayan Muna-Bicol expresses its utmost support to the struggle of the farmers for land and justice conveyed in a nationwide caravan or Lakbayan/Sakbayan that started in Mindanao and will go all the way to Luzon. Bayan Muna-Bicol, together with other progressive organizations in the region, welcomes all the farmers’ organization led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and the Partylist group Anakpawis on their arrival in Matnog, Sorsogon.

The caravan entitled the “Pambansang Lakbayan ng Anakpawis para sa Lupa at Katarungan” (Nationwide Toiling Masses’ Caravan for Land and Justice) started on Jan. 10 and will culminate on Jan. 22 which is the anniversary of the Mendiola Massacre.

The 12-day Lakbayan delivers to the whole nation its strongest denouncement of the Arroyo administration’s blatant and flagrant greed for land, wealth and power that robs the peasantry of their livelihood, rights and their basis for existence.                       – With Nestor Etolle