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GEN.
Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Armed Forces chief of staff,
placed all military units around the country on Thursday
under a “full state of preparedness” but clarified that
the stance was not taken in preparation for Friday’s
expected massive rally by antigovernment groups but by
forces out to exploit the situation.
On
Wednesday night the National Capital Region Command
placed its units on red alert because of alleged threats
coming from the Communist Party of the Philippines-New
People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
Esperon
said he put the Armed Forces under the highest state of
preparedness not only because of the threat, but by the
Abu Sayyaf plot to assassinate President Arroyo and the
plan of rogue forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) to carry out bombings and other terror
activities in the metropolis.
Civilians who were arrested during the Manila Peninsula
siege, however, scoffed at the alert declared by the
military and its claim of communist infiltration of
today’s rally, saying they were just being used to
discourage the people from attending the demonstration
in
Makati
City.
In a
statement read for the group, which now calls itself as
N29 Movement (November 29 Movement), former Vice
President Teofisto Guingona Jr. said the threat was
being used by the Arroyo administration to intimidate
people from attending the rally, which was organized by
the opposition, civil-society groups, students and
members of militant groups.
Guingona
urged the Filipinos to go to the streets in a move he
said, would finally boot the administration out of
power.
“Dissent
without action is consent,” the former Vice President
said.
Lawyer
JV Bautista said the military seemed to have already
perfected the art of cover-up, as he noted that it
usually raises the communist bogey every time a big
demonstration is planned against the administration.
Fr.
Robert Reyes also criticized the Roman Catholic bishops
for softening on Arroyo, by now encouraging Filipinos to
pray instead of taking direct action against corruption
in the government.
“My dear
bishops, are you moderating your statements because you
are afraid Malacañang will moderate their donations to
you?” he said.
The N29
Movement called for snap elections.
Esperon
said the military received reports that rebels would
join the demonstration and provoke those in attendance
to take “unnecessary action.”
As such,
the Armed Forces will support and work with the police
in maintaining peace and order not only on the rally
site but all over the country.
Esperon
said he would send more contingents to the National
Police if necessary and the military would “act
unilaterally” if the situation calls for it.
He said
the military recognizes that the rally is a forum for
the people to express their grievances. However, their
only concern is the presence of reports that it would be
used by other groups to provoke “unwarranted action.”
He said
they also received reports that some breakaway MILF
members are already in Metro Manila to carry out attacks
against high-value targets, taking advantage of the
disturbance in the metropolis.
Esperon
said these rogue MILF members are the ones attacking
power lines and other vital facilities in Mindanao.
He also
denied that some generals and junior officers in the
Armed Forces have been talking to some personalities in
the opposition for the staging of destabilization moves
against the government.
“The
military is solid. We will obey the chain of command and
abide by the duly constituted authorities,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Army commander, Lt. Gen Alexander Yano,
said the Army would not allow anyone to take advantage
of the situation, saying they would crush any group that
attempts to grab power.
“We will
not allow any group or individual to take advantage of
the volatile situation. With conviction, I would say
that we are more than capable to thwart all attempts to
destabilize and overthrow the government,” he said.
Makati traffic rerouted
The
Makati traffic police on Thursday announced the traffic
rerouting plan in line with the protest rally scheduled
on Friday in the city.
The
whole stretch of
Ayala Avenue
and Paseo de Roxas will not be closed to traffic unless
the crowd swells.
Supt.
Gilbert Cruz,
Makati City
police chief, said that only the intersection of
Ayala Avenue
and Paseo de Roxas will be closed to traffic.
The
Station Traffic Enforcement Bureau of the city police
has released a traffic rerouting plan:
Light
Vehicles:
§
From
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue straight to Ayala Avenue,
turn right to Makati Avenue toward Paseo de Roxas or Gil
Puyat Avenue; or turn left to Makati Avenue going to
Greenbelt area and Arnaiz Avenue;
§
From
South Superhighway-Gil Puyat Avenue to Legaspi
Street-Greenbelt: turn left to Chino Roces Avenue, turn
left to dela Rosa Street, and turn right to Salcedo
Street or right to Ayala Avenue then turn right to
Salcedo Street toward destination;
§
From Gil
Puyat to Edsa or Ayala Center- Glorietta: straight to
Gil Puyat, turn right to
Makati Avenue then left to
Ayala
Avenue; and
§
Crossing
of vehicles at
Ayala Avenue
is allowed along V.A. Rufino Avenue from Salcedo to
Legaspi Village
Public
utility buses:
§
From
Edsa-Ayala Avenue to South Superhighway-Pasay City:
Straight to Ayala Avenue, turn right to Ayala and turn
left to Gil Puyat and vice versa
Public
utility jeepneys:
§
From
J.P. Rizal Street-Makati Avenue to Ayala: straight to
Makati Avenue, turn right to de la Rosa Street, right to
Salcedo Street then turn left to Ayala Avenue toward Gil
Puyat;
§
From Gil
Puyat-Washington Street to Ayala-Edsa: turn right to
Ayala Avenue, turn right to Salcedo Street, turn right
to V.A. Rufino, turn left to Amorsolo Street, turn left
to Arnaiz Avenue and turn left to Edsa and vice versa;
and
§
Ayala-Mantrade
from Paseo de Roxas, turn right to Legaspi Street, turn
left to dela Rosa Street, turn left to V.A. Rufino, turn
left to Chino Roces to destinations. |
