Poe rally turns violent
Manila(AsiaNews)- A demonstration turned violent yesterday when police used water cannons to dissemble several thousand supporters of presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. The crowd was gathered outside the Supreme Court as proceedings began to determine Poe's citizenship. They retaliated with a storm of rocks.
A legal battle ensues over the leading candidate, a popular action movie star born of an American mother and Filipino father, who must prove his Filipino citizenship to stay in the race. 15 judges heard testimony on whether or not Poe is a "natural-born Filipino citizen."
Authorities received reports that the presidential palace was to be stormed, and ordered 2000 police in riot gear to circle the court. 2700 soldiers stood by on proximate military camps.
The several thousand marchers were led by Ronald Lumbao, close associate of former president Joseph Estrada -a good friend of Fernando Poe Jr. from their years of acting.
A smaller group of Poe's supporters were confronted by authorities as they drove within metres of the court compound, carrying a black coffin signifying the death of democracy. Two protestors were arrested. Ismael Khan, Supreme Court spokesman, said police were enforcing a decision forbidding protests within a 200 metre radius of the building.
Officials did allow 4000 Poe supporters to assemble in central Manila, where they held an anti-government rally, chanted for Fernando Poe Jr, and heard speeches denouncing the current President and calling for her resignation.
Future clashes are expected in the next week as political recruiters rally the poor of the city using money as an incentive. Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmote related, "There are people getting down names of persons together with their addresses and their polling number, asking them to join some event on February 22 and 25, telling them they will be paid from 300 to 500 pesos." The dates for the rallies coincide with the famous revolution which led to the dismissal of Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.
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