City govt, police ready on Erap's verdict day
The city government along with the Iloilo City Police Office has already came up with its own preparation as the Sandiganbayan Special Division is set to issue a ruling Wednesday on the plunder case filed against deposed President Joseph Estrada.
Mayor Jerry Treñas said supporters of President Estrada in Iloilo might conduct a rally but they are not a force to reckon with. They do not have the same numbers compared in Metro Manila, he said.
Nevertheless, the city government and city police have designed a plan to curtail whatever untoward incident that may happen on Wednesday.
Treñas said they are expecting mass actions and rallies from Erap's supporters. The government could not stop protesters from marching on the streets and shout their discontentment.
The mayor noted, protesters in Iloilo City are not as violent when compared to rallyists in Metro Manila. Rallyists in the city express themselves by just marching on the streets, carrying placards bearing their grievances.
Treñas said there has even no instance where rallyists figure with the members of the Civil Disturbance Team of the Philippine National Police. However, they sometimes cause traffic disturbance.
The police will be on alert even before September 12 comes. The city police had been alerted since the series of bombings happened in Mindanao initiated by Abu Sayaf and other extremists groups and when National Democratic Front chair Jose Ma. Sison was arrested in The Netherlands. An alert status was also raised after reports on the presence of urban terrorists believed to be members of the New Peoples Army came out last week, said Treñas.
Treñas, a known ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, believes the mass actions in relation to the Erap's verdict will not in anyway affect the country's economy. The country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is already 7.5.
"The only question now is how it (the GDP) will trickle down to the lowest sector of the society. Every one should support the government in all its economic programs and reforms for the lowest sector to feel the economic gains. It is not also good that the government will neglect the welfare of those in the lowest sector even if development is taking place," said Treñas.