Police, militants clash near US Embassy

An anti-riot policeman, armed with a truncheon, stops militants from getting any closer to the US Embassy where a rally was to have been held on Tuesday, the 114th Independence Day anniversary. Police set up their barricade on T. Kalaw St. in front of the National Library where a brief clash erupted with the protesters who were forced to hold their program in the area before dispersing peacefully. JAMIE ELONA/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – Violence erupted near the US Embassy as police and militants clashed when the marchers tried to get past the phalanx of lawmen Tuesday, the 114^th Independence Day anniversary.

But the militants, led by the farmers’ group, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), dispersed voluntarily later and there were no reported injuries despite the incident. Before leaving at 3 p.m., the protesters staged a program.

In a separate statement, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes said it was hypocritical for the Aquino government to say that it was fighting for new freedom when what was happening was the opposite.

“The government wants to perpetuate our colonial and neo-colonial past by allowing the stationing of foreign troops on Philippine soil and by allowing foreign interests to dictate on our economic development,” he said.

The militants held a rally in Mendiola, near Malacanang, in Manila earlier in the day, to protest, among others, the Aquino government’s snail-paced implementation of genuine land reform and the alleged US intervention in the country.

The rallyists arrived at 1:15 p.m. on Kalaw St. in front of the National Library where they were met by police in full anti-riot gear.

Some of the protesters threw trash at police, who retaliated by using their truncheons to ward off the militants.

With a report from Matikas Santos