Protests dispersed, 22 nabbed, charged (2 stories-Philippines)

[IndianaGreen]

Protests dispersed, 22 nabbed, charged

First posted 01:28am (Mla time) Feb 25, 2006
By DJ Yap, Tarra V. Quismundo, Edson C. Tandoc Jr.
Inquirer

PUBLIC defiance marked the state of emergency declared by President Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday, with street protesters scuffling with antiriot police and at least 22 of them arrested.

"We have so many ironies today, not least of which is the fact that in January 2001, we were on the same march on Edsa, and she (Ms Arroyo) was at the Edsa Shrine, waiting for us to give her the presidency. And now she's stopping us," said University of the Philippines professor and Inquirer columnist Randy David shortly before he was arrested by policemen in plainclothes.

David, along with Akbayan president Ronald Llamas and lawyer Argee Guevarra, was taken in a green Toyota Corolla sedan (plate number WJU-141) to Camp Karingal, according to Akbayan media officer Percy Senda¤a.

The three were charged with illegal assembly and inciting to sedition, but were released early last night.

In Makati City at 7:30 last night, a phalanx of antiriot police took demonstrators by surprise and succeeded in pushing them away from the intersection of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, where former President Corazon Aquino had earlier addressed them.

http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=67400

DAY TWO
Raid, arrests mark state of emergency

First posted 06:47pm (Mla time) Feb 25, 2006
INQ7.net

A DAY after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo placed the Philippines under a state of emergency, at least three of her political nemeses including a leftist lawmaker were arrested and a national newspaper raided Saturday.
Nine other party-list and opposition lawmakers eluded policemen in plainclothes who the legislators believe were out to also take them.

Planned demonstrations to mark the 20th year of freedom from a repressive regime of Ferdinand Marcos have been barred.

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran was arrested as he was leaving his farmhouse just outside Manila, the leftist Bayan Muna (Nation First) group said in a statement.

Retired general Ramon Montaño, who served as security chief in metropolitan Manila in the late 1980s and publicly backed the removal of Arroyo in a television interview on Friday, was arrested separately. Rex Piad, former chief of the directorial staff of the PNP, was arrested with Montaño.

http://news.inq7.net/top/index.php?index=1&story_id=67480

[Kagemusha]

1. It's hard to know what to say about this...

As the saying goes, if they really are after you, you're not paranoid. But on the other hand this woman's efforts to save the nation from her being overthrown is a cure rivaling the disease.

[niallmac]

5. I don't know about bird flu but fascist fever is certainly rampant 'round

the world.

[Minstrel Boy]

2. Filipino Police Arrest Opposition Leaders

Filipino Police Arrest Opposition Leaders

Police arrested at least three vocal critics of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and raided a newspaper Saturday following her declaration of a state of emergency to quash a coup plot.

Arroyo set off an uproar with her decree Friday as Filipinos celebrated the 20th anniversary of dictator Ferdinand Marcos' ouster in a "people power" revolt, and even some supporters.

...

The emergency declaration bans rallies, allows arrests without warrants, permits the president to call in the military to intervene and lets her take over facilities - including media outlets - that may affect national security.

Early Saturday, police barged into the offices of The Daily Tribune, which has been among Arroyo's strongest critics. Officers confiscated editorial materials and a bundle of newspapers headlining Arroyo's declaration. Police also were posted at the door, but it was not clear if they intended to close the offices, said publisher Ninez Cacho Olivarez, whose family owns the paper.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/25/ap/world/mainD8G0BUV00.shtml

[Selatius]

3. It sounds like she's using the coup to consolidate power like...

Adolf Hitler after the Reichstag fire.

[Judi Lynn]

4. I wonder why it has taken so long for the Bush administration to give

the world the benefit of its pithy comments on this situation! Usually they've horned in within moments. You recall they were the first to throw Charles Shapiro's gnarly arms around the coup leader and Venezuelan self-appointed President for a Day, Pedro Carmona.

When that coup fell apart, because the PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA wouldn't allow it, the _Bush people STILL took time from their busy day to opine that Chavez brought it on himself.

So WHERE'S that lofty commentary concerning Gloria Arroyo? Maybe, as in the case of the ports deal, they haven't even heard about it, yet.