MPD: No overkill in kuliglig dispersal

The Manila Police District (MPD) Thursday said that there's no "overkill" during the dispersal of "kuliglig" (motorized sidecar) drivers last December 1, 2010.

The chief of the MPD Station 5 in Ermita and ground commander of forces during the dispersal, said they had exercised maximum tolerance for much of the time during the protest action of the kuliglig drivers.

The situation only started to worsen when the drivers decided to transfer their protest program to the street fronting the Bonifacio Shrine near Manila City Hall at around 10 a.m. near Manila City Hall.

A policeman fires teargas towards the protesters. Several people were hurt during the clash as the kuliglig drivers and operators threw rocks and bottles at the police dispersal team who used water hoses from firetrucks and teargas. 

When the clash ended at 2 p.m., several kuliglig drivers and operators as well as policemen and a television cameraman were hurt.

The traffic situation got worse not only in Manila but also in nearby cities such as Pasay and Makati when the protesters decided to barricade the North Bound portion of Padre Burgos Avenue going to Quiapo with their kuligligs and held their program in the middle of the road by around 1 p.m.  MB