MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was holed up at Came Crame for three hours Friday, surrounded by top Cabinet and security officials, as thousands of protesters staged an interfaith rally in Makati City to press for her resignation on corruption charges.

The President was not worried by the protest, the largest since a new witness in the national broadband controversy surfaced earlier this month, which she monitored on television, said Director General Avelino Razon Jr. the chief of the Philippine National Police.

Razon said he and General Hermogenes Esperon Jr., chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, also briefed the President on security preparations for the protest. The meeting started at past 4 p.m. and ended at around 7 p.m.

Arroyo was with key Cabinet officials, including Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez.

Three of the Cabinet members present are retired generals -- Ermita, Mendoza, and Ebdane. The last two are former national police chiefs.

"The President listened to the briefing of the AFP and the PNP, and for a while, monitored the happenings in Makati," Razon told reporters.

Asked if the President was worried, Razon said: "No. She returned to her normal duties, there is a function in Malacañang, her schedule was back to normal," he said.

"Matahimik at maayos ngayon [It was quiet and peaceful] and we thank the rally organizers… We will return to normalcy," he said.

The police chief said the President was in a "happy" mood as she left, after thanking security forces.

Razon said no threats were detected in Friday's protest. Earlier, officials had warned that communist rebels or Islamic extremists could sabotage the rally.

Hours before the rally, Razon announced the arrest of a foreign terror suspect in a follow-up operation on the alleged plot by the Al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah to assassinate the President.

Razon said the capture of the terror suspect was not discussed during the meeting with Arroyo.