MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people gathered for Sunday's Labor Day peaceful protests throughout the Philippines, police said.
In Metro Manila, National Capital Region Police Office Chief Director Nicanor Bartolome said, about 6,000 people joined the protests and held programs at the Bonifacio Park and Mendiola where they congregated from various points.
"So far, no unpleasant incidents were reported," said Bartolome in a phone interview around 5:30 p.m. from Mendiola, where he supervised the security preparations.
Bartolome said about 3,000 protesters gathered at the Mendiola and afterward held a program in the morning. By 1 p.m., he said, the crowd had already dispersed calmly.
Meanwhile, Bartolome said, another group of about 3,000 people also came and similarly held a program at the Bonifacio park. He said the group was planning to go on to Mendiola later for another program.
"So far, it is OK but we are still waiting for them. There were about 2,500 to 3,000 of them earlier but we don't know if all of them will come here," said Bartolome.
Asked to which he attribute the seeming peaceful turnout of the manifestations, Bartolome cited the groundwork the police undertook.
Officials said earlier about 10,000 policemen and soldiers had been appointed to ensure the peaceful marking of the Labor Day.
"We guided them to ensure there is going to be no difficulty on traffic. We secured them on their way here (to Mendiola and in Liwasan). They saw that we were helping them. We let them to talk here in Mendiola and at the Liwasan," said Bartolome.
Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz said about 1,500 protesters were also watched to have taken part in demonstrations in cities of Angeles and Calamba as well as provinces of Batangas and Cavite.
Cruz said the demonstrations in the provinces turned out to be also calm. "No unpleasant incident (was) monitored as of this report," he said.
In Metro Manila, National Capital Region Police Office Chief Director Nicanor Bartolome said, about 6,000 people joined the protests and held programs at the Bonifacio Park and Mendiola where they congregated from various points."So far, no unpleasant incidents were reported," said Bartolome in a phone interview around 5:30 p.m. from Mendiola, where he supervised the security preparations.
Bartolome said about 3,000 protesters gathered at the Mendiola and afterward held a program in the morning. By 1 p.m., he said, the crowd had already dispersed calmly.
Meanwhile, Bartolome said, another group of about 3,000 people also came and similarly held a program at the Bonifacio park. He said the group was planning to go on to Mendiola later for another program.
"So far, it is OK but we are still waiting for them. There were about 2,500 to 3,000 of them earlier but we don't know if all of them will come here," said Bartolome.
Asked to which he attribute the seeming peaceful turnout of the manifestations, Bartolome cited the groundwork the police undertook.
Officials said earlier about 10,000 policemen and soldiers had been appointed to ensure the peaceful marking of the Labor Day.
"We guided them to ensure there is going to be no difficulty on traffic. We secured them on their way here (to Mendiola and in Liwasan). They saw that we were helping them. We let them to talk here in Mendiola and at the Liwasan," said Bartolome.
Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz said about 1,500 protesters were also watched to have taken part in demonstrations in cities of Angeles and Calamba as well as provinces of Batangas and Cavite.
Cruz said the demonstrations in the provinces turned out to be also calm. "No unpleasant incident (was) monitored as of this report," he said.
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