BY HANNAH FAITH DORMIDO
July 24, 2008 – 4:38 p.m.
Four students were arrested while six others were severely injured after a protest in front of the US Embassy was violently dispersed by the police.
League of Filipino Students (LFS) vice chairperson Ron Villegas said the arrested students were LFS national chairperson Vencer Crisostomo, 22, ANAKBAYAN National Chairperson Ken Ramos,22, Marvin Serrano, 23, member of ANAKBAYAN Intramuros and EJ Aguirre, 18, a member of the LFS-Polytechnic University of the Philippines Chapter.
The students were protesting the “the continuing intervention of the US in our economy, which is to blame for the worsening crisis at present.” They gathered along UN Avenue around 2 pm and marched towards the US embassy in Roxas Boulevard.
Elements of the Manila Police District (MPD) pushed them away using anti-riot shields as they approached the front gate of the Embassy. The students were forced to retreat to Kalaw Avenue while chanting “Ugat ng Kahirapan, Imperyalismo Ibagsak!” (Root of Poverty, Down with Imperialism!)
“Today’s dispersal will not stop the students from joining bigger rallies set as Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s SONA nears.” said Villegas.
“As long as we have a puppet government following the dictates of foreign powers, particularly of the US, we will be storming the US Embassy and the Arroyo regime,” he added.
The arrested students were brought to the nearby Ospital ng Maynila for medico-legal examination and are to be detained at the Manila Police District headquarters.
As of press time, an indignation rally in front of the MPD headquarters to demand the release of the arrested protesters is being held.(Bulatlat.com)
