The Philippines on Thursday commemorated in unrest its 34th anniversary of the Martial Law's imposition by the late President Ferdinand Marcos, in disapproval of that history and the coincidental military takeover currently in Thailand.

By Thursday afternoon, an estimated 6,000 protesters joined the scheduled rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio Freedom Park in Manila, demanding President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's step-down for her "undeclared Martial Law" against social activists.

Marchers from provinces around the capital region converged at the rally site with their counterparts in Manila to stage their protest, according to local radio station dzBB report.

Protesters even spilled outside the Freedom Park, only in which legitimate demonstrations are permitted by the police, the report said.

At least 2,000 anti-riot policemen were deployed to keep order and watch the protest from a distance. Meanwhile, fire trucks were ready to disperse possible mob activities at the foot of Mendiola Bridge, which is about 300 meters away from the Malacanang Presidential Palace.

The police will prevent the protesters from reaching the bridge, Manila police chief Danilo Abarzosa told reporters.

Satur Ocampo, House Representatives' Deputy Minority Leader and Representative of the leftist party Bayan Muna (People First) said in an online statement that the Philippines' resolution of presidential legitimacy, corruption and political repression, " must not be entrusted to the military," although the issues are similar to those of Thailand.

Ocampo used to be a leading supporter of street rallies against President Arroyo and faced arrest of the Department of Justice a few months ago for his alleged involvement in a plot to overthrow the government.

Without remarks on the Martial Law commemoration, President Arroyo on Thursday joined calls from the international community for the resolution of Thailand's political crisis, saying the military takeover was "a step backward in terms of Thai democracy. "

The Philippine government on Wednesday said in a statement that President Arroyo is in "firm control" of the country and the Armed Forces, a day after Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted by a military coup while he was in New York attending U. N. assembly.

However, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told a press conference that in the wake of the recent developments in Thailand, he has talked to several officers of the Armed Forces "to be aware of what's happening."

The official dismissed suggestions that Arroyo was "devastated" by the ouster of Thaksin whom she once described as a role model.

Ermita said that President Arroyo was "so confident" with the country's political situation that she would not mind being out of the country for a week or two.

Hermogenes Esperon, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, said that a military takeover in the Philippines would " never happen", assuring the administration that the chain of command remains "intact."

The troops would stay "loyal to the constituted authorities including the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive," he said on a budget hearing at House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, many Representatives and Senators issued their statements to the public in rejection of a coup as an option to institute social changes and dismissed the possibility of a " copycat coup" in the Philippines.

On Feb. 24 this year, Arroyo declared a week-long state of national emergency to crush what she called a joint coup of leftists and rightists to oust her from the office.

Thirty-eight officers led by Army's Scout Rangers chief Danilo Lim and Marine Col. Ariel Querubin are under custody, facing investigation for attempted mutiny.

It was the second military uprising against Arroyo after July 27, 2003, when some 300 junior officers and soldiers attempted a mutiny at the Oakwood Ayala Premier Hotel in the capital.

Arroyo also survived impeachment cases amid accusations of corruption and election fraud, but still facing the allegations that her administration did little to stop the politically motivated killings of hundreds of left activists.

Source: Xinhua