Troops Disperse Manila March on Palace by Marcos Loyalists

MANILA —  Supporters of deposed Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos marched on the presidential palace Sunday, breaking through a barbed-wire barricade before they were dispersed by troops firing tear gas.

Several loyalists were injured in the clash, but no deaths were reported. The marchers used slingshots and bottles against the troops, who fired their rifles in the air in an attempt to break up the throng.

The march began at a loyalist rally in Rizal Park, beside Manila Bay, which drew more than 10,000. Speeches by Marcos supporters, including his lawyer, Rafael Recto, whipped up the crowd.

Vows to Return

In a taped telephone call from Hawaii played at the rally, Marcos again vowed to return to the Philippines and called on his followers to keep up their demonstrations against the government of President Corazon Aquino.

After an effigy of Aquino was burned at the rally site, Recto told the crowd, “Let’s take a walk to Malacanang,” the presidential palace. Several thousand joined the march.

At a bridge near the palace, the crowd was momentarily stopped at the barricade, but a number of people broke through and continued toward Malacanang before the tear-gas attacks drove them from the street into nearby alleys. Some reportedly sought safety in a Muslim district and were injured in fighting with residents there. Two stabbings were reported.

Over by Nightfall

The hourlong clash was over by nightfall. Aquino normally does not spend Sundays at Malacanang, but it could not immediately be learned where she was during the melee.

Loyalist rallies have been held at Rizal Park nearly every Sunday since Marcos fled the country Feb. 25 amid a revolt by the military and the people after the Feb. 7 election. Their movement picked up steam last weekend when marchers from Marcos’ home province in the north reached Manila, resulting in clashes with police and troops last Sunday and Monday.

This Sunday, police set up checkpoints on the bay-side Roxas Boulevard before the rally, checking cars for weapons.