SONA protesters snub cops’ ‘romantic’ welcome

Photo by Jamie Marie Elona/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–To calm down high-strung protesters, policemen had a romantic plan in mind – to “serenade” them with a marching band, flowers and balloons.

But instead of stopping to accept the “gift,” the crowd stomped through a line of smiling policewomen holding bouquets, leaving even police generals speechless.

“They ignored our offering. But it’s okay. Maybe they were just busy,” quipped Chief Supt. Richard Albano, Quezon City Police District director.

The QCPD and the National Capital Region Police Office had planned on welcoming marching rallyists in front of the Jocfer building along Commonwealth Avenue.

Albano said they wanted to pacify the crowd by giving them white balloons, flowers and even doves.

At around 11 a.m. Monday, the protesters zoomed ahead, ignoring the rookie policewomen reaching out to them with smiles, and marched toward the Ever Gotesco mall.

Some took the balloons and bouquets and hurled them in the air, while the doves flew off, scared by the angry shouts.

This left Albano, NCRPO director Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo Jr. and their officials dumbfounded.

“It’s okay if they ignore us. We just want to show them that we respect their rights,” Garbo told reporters.

Some 30 minutes later, the protesters had reached the Ever Gotesco mall and forcibly dismantled a fence, crossing over to the westbound lane.

The scuffle led to a tense stand off as policemen scampered to form a barricade to prevent the crowd from getting to Batasan Pambansa.

Albano said this year’s deployment was less than the 2012 deployment of around 5,000.

He added that there were less augmentation forces from police offices outside Metro Manila.

Even though the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan was not allowed to hold rallies near the Batasan Pambansa, policemen were prepared to let the protesters hold their program on Commonwealth Avenue.

“They can hold their rallies, but only here at Ever Gotesco mall. We are prepared for them anyway,” Albano added.

The protesters were eventually pushed back to the eastbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue an hour later, where they are holding their SONA protests.

However, nine protesters were arrested with at least three injured during the scuffle.

At least 15 policemen, including Supt. Marcelino Pedrozo, were injured in the clash with the rallyists.