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Philippine Supreme Court voids Arroyo order on street protests+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)MANILA, April 25_(Kyodo) _ The Philippine Supreme Court nullified Tuesday a government order authorized by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in late September to break up street protests. The justices voted unanimously that Arroyo's "calibrated preemptive response" is unconstitutional. "The so-called calibrated preemptive response policy has no place in our legal firmament and must be struck down as a darkness that shrouds freedom," the court said. Petitioners argued the policy was invalid because it was never formally issued as an administrative order by Arroyo and was only a policy described in a statement released by her office. Meanwhile, the court upheld a 21-year-old law on public assemblies, which requires organizers to secure permits before holding any rallies in public spaces, saying it does not curtail or unduly restrict freedoms. It said local governments must designate within 30 days "freedom parks" where demonstrations can be held without a permit under the 1985 Public Assembly Act. Since September, police have banned and sometimes violently dispersed all public assemblies without permits as the opposition continues to mobilize thousands of supporters in a bid to force Arroyo from power. Arroyo survived an impeachment bid in Congress last year triggered by allegations she rigged the 2004 presidential election and corruption which she has denied. On Thursday, the court also voided some provisions of an order barring officials from appearing before congressional inquiries without Arroyo's consent. The Supreme Court is expected to rule before Friday on the constitutionality of an emergency rule that Arroyo invoked for a week in February after the military said it foiled a coup plot led by communist rebels, military officers and opposition politicians. |