Malacañang yesterday justified the use of water cannons to break up the protest rally heading towards Mendiola last Friday night, saying that the protesters disregarded warnings to stay within the designated rally sites.
"We can avoid this kind of incident if they coordinate with the city government. It was clear that they had a permit for a rally at the Plaza Miranda... but we don’t know why they went against the prior agreement," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in a radio interview.
Before the police dispersal, Bunye recalled that Manila Mayor Jose "Lito" Atienza Jr. repeatedly appealed to the group of priests, nuns and opposition leaders to stay within Plaza Miranda and not to proceed to nearby Mendiola where the organizers failed to get a permit.
Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. and opposition Sen. Jamby Madrigal were among the people hurt when riot police hosed down the protest march towards Malacañang after holding a prayer rally in Plaza Miranda earlier last Friday.
Don't ask me about any of this...we don't live in Manila...
