After violent rallies, cops tighten security at DepEd, MPD

In the wake of student demonstrations that turned violent in past weeks, police in eastern Metro Manila tightened security around the Department of Education (DepEd). Radio dzBB’s Sam Nielsen reported that the Eastern Police District ordered added patrols and visibility around the DepEd head office in Pasig City. EPD head Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele said he does not want a repeat of what happened to the Commission on Higher Education in Quezon City and in two major state universities. The DepEd supervises the operation of elementary and high schools, while the CHED supervises those of colleges and universities.

In Manila, meanwhile, the Manila Police District tightened security at its headquarters after charging five militant students over a violent rally at the PUP (Polytechnic University of the Philippines) campus in Sta. Mesa. Violence had marred rallies conducted by militant youth groups over tuition increases for the coming school year. The student groups held rallies before the CHED office in Quezon City and at the campuses of the PUP in Manila and the University of the Philippines in Diliman. On Wednesday, militant students destroyed an entrance gate and splattered paint all over the vicinity of the CHED, but got an assurance from CHED Chairman Emmanuel Angeles to block moves to increase tuition in PUP by 17-fold or from P12 to P200 per unit. [See: Students get what they want: CHED chief vows to block PUP tuition hike] In their rally in front of the CHED building, the students tried barging into the entrance gates but security personnel held them off. A CHED employee initially came out to talk to the students, but the protesters demanded that Angeles himself face them. — RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV