- Title: PHILIPPINES: ANTI-ARROYO PROTESTERS STORM MINISTRY
- Date: 16th July 2005
- Summary: (BN06) MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JULY 15, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. SLV PROTESTERS FROM LEFT-WING FARMERS' GROUPS MARCHING ON STREET (VARIOUS) 0.11 2. CLOSEUP OF PROTESTER HOLDING FIST UP 0.13 3. MORE OF PROTESTERS MARCHING TOWARDS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMPLEX 4. PROTESTERS RUNNING TOWARDS ENTRANCE GATE 5. PROTESTERS PUSHING AND CLIMBING OVER GATE 6. PROTESTERS SCUFFLING WITH SECURITY GUARD 7. MORE OF PROTESTERS STORMING INTO COMPLEX 8. PROTESTERS BREAKING DOORS AND WINDOWS TO ENTER LOBBY 9. PROTESTERS RUSHING INTO BUILDING, CLIMBING STAIRS TO ROOFTOP 10. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WAVING FLAGS ON ROOFTOP 11. ANTI-RIOT POLICE ARRIVING 12. PROTESTERS LOOKING DOWN FROM WINDOW 13. MORE OF ANTI-RIOT POLICE WATCHING PROTEST 1.34 14. (SOUNDBITE) (Tagalog) BALTAZAR MARTIN, PROTESTER, SAYING: "This is part of our effort to oust Gloria. This department has no credibility and useless to the needs of the small farmers and fishermen. We are how here to occupy this government agency" 1.47 15. MORE OF PROTEST 16. INITIALS OF GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO WRITTEN OVER DEPARTMENT SIGN 2.04 17. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE BY CABINET MEMBERS WHO RESIGNED LAST WEEK 2.11 18. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TERESITA QUINTOS-DELES, EX-PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ON THE PEACE PROCESS, SAYING: "It was our moral compass. It was the moral compass of this government in my mind that brought me to this point and it was those sorts of people that I consulted. So yes, (we were) politically naive. Yes. And we're paying the price for the politically naive thing. But I think it's a cheap price to pay for me to be able to stand up everyday and look at the mirror knowing that I will not have to struggle through how to answer both from the public, my constituent, the media and my children." 2.52 19. WIDE OF EX-FINANCE SECRETARY CESAR PURISIMA ADDRESSING JOURNALISTS 20. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EX-FINANCE SECRETARY CESAR PURISIMA SAYING: "I'm saying that we have achieved enormous momentum that I expect the budget deficit to be below target. And I'm hoping the economy will continue to do well. That's our desire. We don't wish the economy to be used as political football. Our hope is that the Philippines continue to do well despite these arguments present right now." 3.27 21. CAMERA OPERATOR; WIDE NEWS CONFERENCE 3.38 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 31st July 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MANILA,PHILIPPPINES
- Country: Philippines
- Reuters ID: LVA9RLLHGVC75SJOKVP29OH8G68A
- Story Text: Anti-Arroyo protesters storm Philippine ministry.
Hundreds of protesters opposed to Philippine
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo stormed a government
department in the capital on Friday (July 15, 2005), smashing
windows and attacking guards before they left.
Some 300 people pushed through the gates of the
Department of Agriculture in the northern suburb of Manila,
unfurling banners reading "Ensure the welfare of rural
workers".
The protesters from a coalition of left-wing farmers'
groups broke windows, attacked guards with sticks and
chanted "End the
Gloria regime".
Three people were reportedly injured in the scuffle,
including a security guard and a protester.
A collection of rural groups said in a statement they
went to the agriculture department to criticise policies
that were hurting Filipino farmers with cheaper imports and
demand Arroyo make good on promises of jobs, loans and land
development.
About 30,000 protesters had gathered peacefully in
Manila on Wednesday (July 13), calling for Arroyo to step
down over allegations of election fraud and graft involving
her family.
The president has refused to resign and has been
rebuilding her cabinet and base of allies after
resignations and defections last week.
Weeks of uncertainty have kept investors nervous and
raised fears that a protracted political battle will
paralyse Arroyo's reforms aimed at raising revenues and
cutting debt.
But there is no sign the middle class, whose
participation was crucial to "people power" revolts that
toppled presidents in 1986 and 2001, has joined the rallies
by Arroyo's political enemies and groups of leftists,
students and farmers.
Arroyo on Thursday (July 14) hit back at her enemies,
saying they offered a "road that leads to nowhere".
The political opposition, united in wanting Arroyo out
but otherwise fragmented, appeared to be prepared to take
its campaign to unseat her to Congress.
But several cabinet ministers, who resigned last week
amid mounting calls for Arroyo to quit over allegations of
election fraud and corruption within her family, admitted
on Friday that the move was "politically naive" as
opposition groups' are still fragmented in deciding how to
solve the country's political crisis.
"It was our moral compass. It was the moral compass of
this government in my mind that brought me to this point
and it was those sorts of peo[ple that I consulted. So yes,
(we were) politically naive. Yes. And we're paying the
price for the politically naive thing. But I think it's a
cheap price to pay for me to be able to stand up everyday
and look at the mirror knowing that I will not have to
struggle through how to answer both from the public, my
constituent, the media and my children," said Teresita
Quintos-Deles, Arroyo's former advisor on peace process.
Former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, who resigned
along with several main members of Arroyo's economic team,
tried to play down the impact of the prolonged political
crisis on the economy.
"I'm saying that we have achieved enormous momentum
that I expect the budget deficit to be below target. And
I'm hoping the economy will continue to do well. That's our
desire. We don't wish the economy to be used as political
football. Our hope is that the Philippines continue to do
well despite these arguments present right now," said
Purisima.
Analysts have expressed worries about the continuity of
the government's reform agenda to raise revenues and pare
debt.
Philippine financial markets, however, were lifted on
Friday by expectations the Supreme Court will end its
freeze on a tax expansion at the heart of the government's
fiscal reform plans.
Markets also got a boost from news the government
posted a monthly budget surplus in June, its second this
year, which raised hopes that fiscal improvement could
continue despite the political crisis.
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