MetroBriefs

Riot policemen break up students’ protest march

Riot policemen fired a water cannon to break up a protest on Tuesday by around 500 college students inspired by the “Occupy Wall Street” movement in the United States, organizers said. The protesters had intended to march and camp out near Mendiola Bridge leading to Malacañang Palace but were blocked by riot police because they did not have a permit. “We were assembling for the big march when they blocked us and then tried to break us up by firing water cannons,” Vanessa Bolibol, a spokesperson for the group, told AFP. An AFP photographer at the scene said about 200 riot police with shields and truncheons had blocked the protesters’ path while at least two fire trucks were on standby to prevent them from advancing.  The photographer saw the riot police firing the water cannon for a couple of minutes. Composed mostly of youth groups from various universities in Metro Manila, the protesters dubbed their march the “Camp Out” movement.  Organizers said the march was inspired by the “Occupy Wall Street” movement in the United States, and intended to gather thousands of young people and set up tents and temporary shelters near the Palace. Bolibol said the protesters hoped to continue with occupying the area near the bridge, where they had prepared a range of activities including a rock concert.—AFP

4 nabbed for rape

Four youngsters were arrested Tuesday for allegedly raping a 14-year-old high school student during a drinking spree in Pasig City. They were identified as Kevin Lloyd Umali, 19; Henry Minoza, 21; Mark Jayson, 18; and a 16-year-old boy. The four were charged with rape and violation of Republic Act 7610, or the Anti-Violence against Women and Children Act, at the City Prosecutor’s Office, Police Officer 1 Amy Baldonado, case investigator, said. Baldonado said the alleged gang rape happened in the middle of a drinking spree at around midnight on Sunday inside the house of one of the accused on Eastbank Road in Barangay (village) Sta. Lucia. The victim, a third year high school student of a private school in Pasig City, met one of the four youngsters through texting, according to Baldonado. On Sunday, one of the four persuaded the girl to come over to his house for some drinks with his friends. After drinking a few glasses of brandy, the youngsters took turns raping her. Baldonado said the victim did not intend to tell anyone about the rape but her mother found her blood-stained underwear. Upon hearing their daughter’s story, the parents sought the help of barangay watchmen who immediately accosted the four men. The four were brought to a temporary detention center at the Pasig police station.—Niña Calleja

Blood shed at Marikina’s cityhood anniversary

Marikina celebrated its 15th anniversary as a city with a mass blood donation drive over the weekend. The bloodletting was held at the Marikina Sports Building and spearheaded by the city health office in partnership with the Philippine National Red Cross, Philippine Blood Center and the Department of Health. Mayor Del de Guzman announced that 289 blood bags were collected from the event where even officials like Vice Mayor Jose Fabian Cadiz also donated blood. “We saw the relevance of this event to the celebration of the cityhood anniversary as Marikina is a multi-awarded city in terms of voluntary blood donation,” De Guzman said.—Niña Calleja

RC New Manila East holds ‘Big Heart Concert’

The Rotary Club of New Manila East (RCNME) will hold a fund-raising concert at Ang Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman for its milk-feeding program on Wednesday. The concert features the AMP Band with Mel Villena as musical director and Cookie Chua and Art Manuntag as featured vocal artists. Dubbed the “Big Heart Concert,” the fund raiser will also treat donors to a Wagyu steak dinner at 7 p.m followed by the concert. The beneficiaries of RCNME’s milk-feeding program are around 300 Grade 1 students of Toro Hills Elementary School in Quezon City. The program, now in its ninth year, has benefited thousands of students.