This story was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VI, No. 9, April 6, 2006

Protesters Reach Mendiola, Clash with Police

BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO

Posted 4:25 p.m., Apr. 6, 2006

Police hosed down thousands of anti-chacha marchers at the foot of Don Chino Roces Avenue (formerly Mendiola Bridge), and injured some protesters including former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr..

It was the first time that a big group of protesters reached Mendiola, which is only a few blocks away from Malacañang, and had been declared a “no-rally zone” since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo imposed the calibrated preemptive response (CPR) policy last year.  

The protest was led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance), People’s Movement against Charter Change (People’s March), and the Gloria Stepdown Movement (GSM).

The protesters, numbering about 3,000, marched from Sto. Domingo church in Quezon City but were blocked by police at the Mabuhay (Welcome) Rotunda, at the boundary of Quezon City and Manila.  

The marchers went through the side streets in Sampaloc, Manila and eventually found their way to Mendiola, where they removed the police road blocks and started a program.

People’s March convenor and former human rights commissioner Atty. Nasser Marohomsalic and Atty. Neri Colmenares of the Counsels for the Defense of Liberties (Codal) tried to negotiate with the police to allow the protesters to proceed with their program.

After a few minutes, the police began spraying water from a fire hose and dispersed the rallyists along C.M. Recto Avenue towards España Street.  Bulatlat

© 2006 Bulatlat ■  Alipato Publications

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