Philippine police Thursday said that all forces have been placed under full alert again for anticipated anti-government mass street protests.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao declared that the full alert status has been effective at 8 am as opposition groups intensified street protests to press for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's ouster.

According to PNP spokesman Leopoldo Bataoil, the alert was raised after a fiery call from Susan Roces, widow of the late presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr., for Arroyo to step down for allegedly stealing the presidency from her husband.

"Police were ordered to prepare for whatever developments on Thursday," Bataoil said in a TV interview.

Metro Manila police chief Director Vidal Querol, however, told reporters that police would observe maximum tolerance and disperse demonstrators only if they are unruly or don't have the required permit.

On Roces' emotional call, Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye Wednesday said that he understands her because the Supreme Court had dismissed her husband's election protest.

Bunye noted that President Arroyo apologized to the entire nation, not to Roces alone, for her "lapse of judgment" in talking with an election official during the last election.

"The president addressed her apology to the whole nation and we believe that a majority has forgiven her," he said.

The PNP went on the highest alert level nationwide on June 22 in view of the possible destabilization efforts as the House of Representatives began the investigation hearing on the wiretapping tapes case allegedly concerning President Arroyo's cheating in the last year elections.

Source: Xinhua