6,000 Central and Northern Luzon militants to protest Bush visit

MALOLOS, Bulacan — Members of various militant organizations from Central and Northern Luzon are poised to stage massive protest actions in time for the eight-hour state visit of US President George W. Bush on Saturday.

Roman Polintan, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Gitnang Luzon (Bayan-GL) chair, told The STAR in a telephone interview yesterday that an estimated 6,000 members of various cause-oriented groups under Bayan would stage rallies in Angeles City in Pampanga starting on Thursday and until the end of Bush’s visit.

Polintan said their group will hold a vigil at Clark Field then proceed to Manila to join bigger protest actions that would be held in different areas.

There would also be a coordinated action in Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija where militants are set to converge with other anti-Bush protesters from Isabela, Cagayan and other provinces in Regions I and II, Polintan added.

Allied organizations of Bayan, including Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Pamalakaya, Kadamay and Anakbayan would protest what they termed "continuous US domination in the country" particularly the presence of US troops for joint military exercises, which they view as a virtual invasion of the country’s sovereignty.

A senior official of the Bulacan police told The STAR that security preparations in the area have been put in place and that civil disturbance management teams have already been sent to the regional police office at Camp Olivas in San Fernando City to beef up security in Manila for the visit of the US President.

Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao, intelligence and investigation chief of the Bulacan police, however, said there are no orders yet as to the measures they would implement with regards to protest actions by militant groups.