Thousands of protesters, some shouting "Gloria Arroyo, the fake president!," massed yesterday to press the Philippine leader to resign over vote-rigging claims that have shaken her hold on power.
Troops and police went on full alert, saying they feared communist rebels or Islamic militants could mount terror attacks under cover of the rally in Manila's Makati financial district.
Opponents had hoped for a "people power" protest of up to 50,000 to keep up pressure on Arroyo, who is clinging on tenaciously despite the resignation of 10 top officials last Friday over claims she stole last year's election.
"Do a Nixon now. Please resign," read one sticker referring to the resignation of former US president Richard Nixon.
But early signs were of a smaller turnout, easing the pressure on Arroyo whose predecessor Joseph Estrada fell in 2001 to an army-backed mass protest.
Makati police officer Maricris Boto estimated the crowd numbered 30,000-35,000 in the late afternoon.
Michael Defensor, the environment secretary and a trusted Arroyo aide, said about an hour before the 3pm scheduled start of the rally that he was surprised at the small turnout.
In any case, he had told reporters in the morning, even a crowd of half a million would not make Arroyo quit.
"Will she resign? No, not ever. She will not leave the presidential palace," he said.
Protesters massed at several sites, under a sea of banners, before converging on the main venue. Loudspeakers blared excerpts of wiretapped telephone conversations which have embroiled the US-educated economist in scandal.
Supporters of Estrada and of the late Fernando Poe, the man who lost to Arroyo in last year's vote, were among those at the rally. Banks pulled down their shutters but no violent incidents were reported by late afternoon.
Jejomar Binay, Makati's mayor and a protest leader, accused police of harassing vehicle convoys driving to the rally.
An AFP photographer saw police stop a 30-vehicle convoy of protesters in the town of Sipocot, southeast of Manila, late Tuesday.
"I don't like Gloria. Naturally in our place no one likes Gloria," said a 60-year-old Makati market stallholder. "We all have to attend, they take our attendance."
The mayor of the district is a prominent opposition leader.
"If we don't attend, we could lose our vending slots," the woman added.
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