Protesters enter palace security

Protesters enter palace security

MANILA (Reuter): Dozens of demonstrators broke through tight
security around the Philippine presidential palace yesterday and
startled palace guards by staging a rally denouncing President
Fidel Ramos for raising fuel prices.

The protesters avoided detection by moving quietly one by one
into the restricted zone in front of the visitors' gate of the
Malacanang palace and, at a pre-arranged signal, unfurled their
protest banners.

The rally was part of a series of protests launched last week
by labor, student, church and consumer groups assailing the
decision by the energy board to raise petroleum prices by an
average of 55 centavos (US$2.2) a liter.

The protesters carried placards reading "No to oil price hike"
and "Ramos government anti-poor...pro-foreign interests" but
civilian guards angrily grabbed some of the signs and ripped them
off.

The protesters marched away chanting slogans after the palace
guards brought in a fire truck apparently ready to bombard them
with water.