Cerge booed, pelted with crumpled paper

CATCALLS and flying balls of crumpled paper and plastic greeted Press Secretary Cerge Remonde yesterday when he tried to talk to about 300 militants at the Don Chino Roces (formerly Mendiola) bridge, who were protesting the killing of 64 persons, including 30 journalists, in Maguindanao last November 23.

The indignation rally was attended by members of militant party list groups Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Anakpawis, and Karapatan, and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), National Press Club (NPC) and some officials of the Confederation of Asean Journalists (CAJ), College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), Philippine Center for Photojournalism, Alyansa ng Filipinong Mamamahayag (AFIMA), Bayan Muna, League of Filipino Students, Gabriela, Salinlahi, Alliance for Children’s Concern, Moro-Christian People’s Alliance, and Katribu.

Also present were party list Reps. Satur Ocampo (Bayan Muna), Liza Maza (Gabriela), and Renato Reyes (Anakpawis).

The protesters were dressed in black and carried placards denouncing the massacre and the Arroyo administration.

Remonde was only supposed to receive the statement of the NPC and the CAJ but against the advice of NPC president Benny Antiporda, who knew what the press secretary was about to face, he proceeded to Mendiola to express government’s solidarity with the protesters.

Remonde, with only an aide and a few policemen, were met by NPC and CAJ officials and party list congressmen near the barbed wire that separated the rallyists from the policemen with their shields and truncheons.

The protesters started booing when Remonde crossed the line, moved to their side, and headed for the Don Chino Roces’ statue in an attempt to speak to them.

The militants shouted the words "Pasista," "Terorista," "Berdugo," and "Remonde, Alis D’yan" as the press secretary started for the stage and waited for the crowd to quiet down before he spoke.

But the catcalls became louder and the rallyists pelted him with paper and plastic.

Remonde was only able to say, "We are one with you in denouncing the massacre. Basta po nakikiisa kami sa inyo" before he was forced to back down and go back to the safer side of the barricade because the protesters had started coming towards him.

Some Palace reporters covering him got pushed by the rushing rallyists. Video footage of the incident showed Remonde getting hit five times by balls of crumpled paper.

Safe from the rallyists, Remonde told an ambush interview: "Ang sa akin is a very sincere desire to convey to them that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the government is one with them in condemning this barbaric act that happened in Maguindanao. I would like to convey to them that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the government will ensure that justice is done to the victims of political and media killings."

He said being a former media man, he feels "as strongly as anyone about this issue and I thought that after all puwede pa din tayong magkaisa when it comes to universal issues such as the killing of journalists. It would seem really that rules of civility are no longer present among some people."

Remonde was a broadcaster for 30 years before joining government. He was once chairman of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP).

President Arroyo said she will attend the wake of some media victims "as a modest expression of the nation’s outrage and my personal shock."
– With Evangeline de Vera