100 activists barred from going near US Embassy

Activists burn a US flag bearing President Benigno Aquino’s image in front of the US Embassy Friday. ERWIN AGUILON/Radyo Inquirer

Police block leftwing activists from going near the US Embassy. ERWIN AGUILON/Radyo Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—Police blocked about 100 leftwing activists who tried to gather in front of the US Embassy in Manila to protest President Benigno Aquino’s official state visit in the United States, police said.

Police Officer 3 Michael Villafranca of the Manila Police District station 5 said the activists from allied groups that converged at Plaza Salamanca earlier Friday reached UN corner Roxas Avenue around 11:20 a.m.

“They were supposed to go at the US Embassy, but we blocked them along the way,” Villafranca said.

The activists belong to groups like the Kilusang Mayo Uno and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).

In a statement, Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said that the militant groups were protesting the meeting of Aquino and US President Barack Obama.

Reyes said the state visit was the “culmination of months of meetings, negotiations and discussions for increasing US troop presence in the country and reaffirming unequal economic and politico-military
relations.”
The country, he said, had seemingly become a “large military base of the US.”

“Kapalit nito, bibigyan tayo ng US ng lumang kagamitan (In exchange, the US will give us old equipment),” Reyes said.