PNP prepares for weekend rallies in Mendiola; Barias says despite many rallies in the first two months, crime rate was lower compared to last year

By Ronron
March 6, 2008

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) gears up for the rallies today (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) in Mendiola at Manila City, although it does not see the need to raise their alert level compared to the previous mass demonstrations.

NCRPO chief Director Geary Barias told a news conference Thursday in Camp Crame that the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) will lead today’s mass action of at most 1,000 people, while Gabriela will do the same tomorrow in celebration of the International Women’s Day.

“I have directed Manila Police Director Chief Supt. Roberto Rosales to coordinate with the rally organizers because so far, I have no feedback that they have a permit for that,” Barias said.

“Our main concern is the peace and order there and nothing else. So, let’s try to find some middle ground if there is no permit,” he added.

Citing the small crowd that is expected on both activities, Barias expressed confidence that the Manila Police District (MPD) will be able to handle the situation well, thus no need for a raising of the alert level.

“There is no threat of violence tomorrow and on Saturday… In my consultation with the PNP Officer-in-Charge now, Deputy Director Gen. Jesus Verzosa, we have agreed that there will be no change of status of our alert. So we will be on normal alert status over the weekend because we feel that the district director can take care of the situation,” he said.

Melay Dapulang, vice president of the National Federation of Labor Union-KMU, said they will actually start their activity through a picket on Thursday night at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), to be followed by a march to Mehan Garden near SM Manila at 8am Friday.

From Mehan Garden, the group will proceed to Mendiola.

“The issues to be raised involve the labor sector such as the unjust removal from work, low salary, contractualization, etcetera. Of course, we will bring up the sins of GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) so we will call again for her resignation,” Dapulang said.

She said the group will also join the mass action on Saturday that will be led by Gabriela.

Gabriela spokesperson Joms Salvador said in a separate phone interview that their activity tomorrow will start at 9am as all groups converge at Welcome Rotonda, the boundary of Quezon City and Manila City.

From their, they will march starting 10am going to Plaza Miranda in Quiapo District. The activity will be called “Women’s March.”

Salvador said there will be a program at Plaza Miranda upon their arrival there up to 1pm. Expected to be there are former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, film scriptwriter Bibeth Orteza, and former House Speaker Jose de Venecia’s wife, Gina.

They expect a total of 10,000 participants, which would also include the Concerned Women of Assumption where the President graduated, Salvador said.

“The theme for that day is to show the outrage of the women against Mrs. Arroyo… We will be chanting OUST GMA!,” said Salvador.

Barias said that for the Saturday event, he has directed Rosales to provide “extra-special nature of dealing with” the demonstrators because they are women.

While there may be male members of the Civil Disturbance Management that will be deployed there, Barias said female policemen will be placed at the frontfline.

Barias disclosed that so far, the number of rallies for the first two months this year has already outnumbered those held in the same period last year.

He said that a total of 128 rallies were already recorded in the capital from January up to February this year, an increase of 43 percent from the 80 in the same months last year.

But despite this, Barias proudly announced that the number of crimes for the said period this year was lower compared to last year’s.

Barias said that for the months of January and February last year, a total of 3,337 crimes were recorded. But for this year, an 11.57 percent decrease was noted, with only 2,961 incidents recorded.

“That tells us that your same policemen who are fighting criminality are also busy with these rallies. So they are working double time,” he said.

Among the new measures taken this year, he said, is the increased police visibility in the metropolis, which was done after a series of robberies hit Quezon City starting January.

Barias said that 300 additional policemen will be downloaded today (Friday) from NCRPO to the different areas in Metro Manila./DMS