FLOWER POWER. A female police officer offers a white gladiola to Niño Olayvar, vice president of Anakbayan-Cebu chapter during a rally in front of Radisson Blu where APEC meetings took place. (CDN Photo/Junjie Mendoza)
Youth militants were met with anti-riot police who offered fresh flowers, but made no arrests when a group of about 100 protestors rallied against the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in front of the Radisson Blu Hotel yesterday.
Police ended up escorting the protestors out of the area to barangay Mabolo.
Tension first rose after a police officer tried to grab the lapel microphone of Niño Olayvar, vice president of Anakbayan Visayas.
The lapel microphone fell and broke, drawing the attention of other militant groups.
One activist tried to hit back at a police officer whom he accused of pushing him.
Olayvar asked the police officer his name but the officer just responded with a smile.
“I am really insulted. We only wanted to hold a protest outside the hotel. We had no intentions to get inside the venue,” Olayvar said.
To defuse the tension, some female police personnel offered red flowers to the militants.
The flowers were not accepted, so police personnel tried to give white blooms instead.
A female police officer handed a flower to Olayvar who asked her, “What is it for?”
The female police officer only smiled and the militants refused to accept the blossoms.
At least 10 activists stationed near Andok’s chicken outlet in Mabolo were unable to join yesterday’s rally.
They and their two vehicles carrying sound systems were stopped by policemen from proceeding to the Radisson Blu Hotel. The activists later dispersed after reaching Mabolo Church.
Leaders of militant youth organizations challenged Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario and police regional officials to a debate or dialog on Cebu’s hosting of the APEC events.
“She accused us of raising irrelevant issues but she did not even mention on what issues and concerns were not tackled during APEC. We are open for any dialogue,” Olayvar said.