Anti-riot policemen armed with truncheons block a group of political activists protesting the rising crimes, unemployment and other social issues during the state of the city address of Celso Lobregat, the mayor of Zamboanga City on Thursday, January 28, 2010 in Zamboanga City. Children from the Sanit Francis Orphanage also display their placards at the Zamboanga City Council appealing to Lobregat not to take over the operation of the orphan center founded and run by a Catholic priest Fr. Arthur Winikoff. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / January 28, 2010) - Anti-riot policemen armed with truncheons block a group of political activists protesting the rising crimes, unemployment and other social issues during the state of the city address of Celso Lobregat, the mayor of Zamboanga City on Thursday.
The protesters, mostly from Akbayan party list group, carried placards and shouted slogans as they tried to march to the Zamboanga City Council where Lobregat delivered his state of the city address. Police said the protesters had no permits to hold a rally, but leaders of the group said they were expressing their freedom of speech.
"We are only expressing our disgust to the rising crimes - the spate of killings - and the unemployment and many more problems the city is facing under Lobregat," Edgar Araojo, one of the leaders of the protesters, who is also a university professor, told reporters.
The protesters later dispersed peacefully.
Dozens of orphans, mostly children, from the Saint Francis Orphanage, also trooped to the Zamboanga City Council, but they failed to speak to Lobregat about his plans to take over the orphan house founded and run by a Catholic priest Fr. Arthur Winikoff. Some of the children also carried placards appealing to Lobregat not to take the orphan house, founded in 1988, away from them.
"We are appealing to mayor Celso Lobregat to spare the orphanage and not to take it away from us. This is our home," one child said.
The priest said he signed a contract with the previous mayor, Vitaliano Agan, and even was commended and praised by Maria Clara Lobregat, a former mayor of Zamboanga and mother of Lobregat, for Winikoff's sacrifices in running the orphanage, which sits on a three-hectare government lot. (Mindanao Examiner)
The protesters, mostly from Akbayan party list group, carried placards and shouted slogans as they tried to march to the Zamboanga City Council where Lobregat delivered his state of the city address. Police said the protesters had no permits to hold a rally, but leaders of the group said they were expressing their freedom of speech.
"We are only expressing our disgust to the rising crimes - the spate of killings - and the unemployment and many more problems the city is facing under Lobregat," Edgar Araojo, one of the leaders of the protesters, who is also a university professor, told reporters.
The protesters later dispersed peacefully.
Dozens of orphans, mostly children, from the Saint Francis Orphanage, also trooped to the Zamboanga City Council, but they failed to speak to Lobregat about his plans to take over the orphan house founded and run by a Catholic priest Fr. Arthur Winikoff. Some of the children also carried placards appealing to Lobregat not to take the orphan house, founded in 1988, away from them.
"We are appealing to mayor Celso Lobregat to spare the orphanage and not to take it away from us. This is our home," one child said.
The priest said he signed a contract with the previous mayor, Vitaliano Agan, and even was commended and praised by Maria Clara Lobregat, a former mayor of Zamboanga and mother of Lobregat, for Winikoff's sacrifices in running the orphanage, which sits on a three-hectare government lot. (Mindanao Examiner)
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