Police and militants agree: SONA protests 'peaceful'

Rarely do police authorities and militant group leaders agree but this time both sectors say the State of the Nation Address (SONA) protests are “generally peaceful." As of 2:00 p.m. Monday, about two hours before President Benigno Simeon III delivers his first SONA, some 6,000 rallyists have gathered along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. Both the police and militant groups say this year's SONA protest actions are turning out to be “generally peaceful." “So far matahimik naman (So far, it’s peaceful). We have not recorded any untoward incidents as of the moment," said NCR Police Office chief Roberto Rosales. He added that he expects about 1,000 to 2,000 more rally participants to arrive before 4:00 p.m. Some 7,800 police personnel from Quezon City and the National Capitol Region, as well as the military, have been deployed in the vicinity of the Batasan Pambansa, where the President will deliver the SONA before the joint session of the Senate and the lower House.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) secretary general Renato Reyes said there have also been no violations on the part of the police authorities. However, he lamented the fact that they were allowed to assemble only along Commonwealth Avenue between Ever Gotesco mall and St. Peter's Parish, about a 15-minute ride away from Batasan. “Malayo pa rin (sa Batasan), almost the same as the previous SONAs. Hard to reach pa rin," said Reyes. Six teams from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) are likewise scattered in the area to ensure no violations are committed both on the part of the police and the organizations participating in the protest action. “Basically ang tinitingnan namin, kung sumusunod ang both parties sa napag-usapan, kung walang karahasan, kung maayos na naipapahayag ng mga tao ang kanilang mga grievance (Basically we’re checking to see if both parties are abiding to what was agreed upon, if the people are allowed to air their grievances)," said Atty. Maxlen Balanon of the CHR-NCR. Four CHR roving teams are in the Commonwealth Avenue area while two other teams are based in the commission's office in Diliman. Rosales said the crowd will be allowed until 5:00 p.m. to stage a program, but they are allowed to stay along Commonwealth Avenue until 7:00 p.m. Reyes meanwhile said they plan to stay until around 6:00 p.m. only. The groups gathered at the site of the protest actions include party-list groups Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Alliance of Concerned Teachers and Kabataan, as well as people's organizations like Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Kilusang Mayo Uno and Karapatan. Representatives from these groups have delivered their speeches about the country's situation, challenging Aquino to resolve the problems left behind by the Arroyo administration. Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano earlier delivered a SONA ng Bayan (SONA of the People), saying the “real" state of the nation is that it is characterized by a worsening political, economic, and human rights situation. Mariano criticized the Aquino administration for failing this early to clarify its stand on privatization, liberalization and deregulation, and the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States. – VVP, GMANews.TV