"The lawyers will be assisting them in case there would be delays or problems," said Theresa Lauron, secretary general of the Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN).

A team of lawyers is also standing by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to assist foreign activists coming into the country for the ASEAN Summit.

APRN is allied with the Bayan Muna groups, which is planning to hold various forums and rallies during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

A second group of protesters from Akbayan and its allied organizations also plan to hold separate activities.

The two groups said some 100 foreign delegates would be joining their activities here.

Lauron said those who would be arriving on Wednesday will come from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the United States. Many others will come within the next few days, she added.

The government and the police have vowed to arrest foreigners who will join rallies during the ASEAN Summit.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osme ƒÆ’ ±a, militant group members and police officials agreed last Monday during a dinner meeting to avoid clashes in the streets during the protests.

The mayor, during the dinner meeting, said that while he is not opposed to the conduct of protest actions during the summit, he would not allow rallyists to disrupt the summit proceedings.

"I don't want to create fear, especially on the part of the VIPs," the mayor said during the dialogue.

Vince Cinches, the public information officer of Panaghiusa sa Gagmay'ng Mangingisda sa Sugbo (Pamana-Sugbo), assured the mayor that they would not cross restricted areas.

Arman Perez, Bayan Muna secretary general, said they planned to issue identification cards to their members for proper accounting and to prevent infiltrators from sneaking into their ranks.

On Tuesday, however, one group that met with the mayor last Monday punched through security forces to perform an exorcism ritual in front of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

Victor Lapaz of Pamana-Sugbo told Cebu Daily News that they performed the rite to express their opposition to supposed US intervention in ASEAN affairs and in political killings.

The group took a black chicken and slit its throat in front of the CICC gate.

Cinches said they succeeded in "outsmarting" the policemen in the vicinity because nobody had suspected them to be members of the militant groups.

"Nalutsan man gyud sila, nag-deploy sila og daghang mga police, nag-checkpoint pa sila, unya kami nagsakay ra mi og trak de karga, mura gani og we outsmarted them," Cinches proudly said.

Chief Superintendent Silverio Alarcio, Jr. director of Central Visayas police, said he would ask the Mandaue Police chief on why the militants were able to reach the CICC.

Alarcio, however, said, the move of the militants was a deception.

"I think the work of deception is not true anymore sa mga adhikain natin, mahirap iyong ganun," Alarcio said.

Alarcio asked militant groups not to go near summit venues and disrupt the summit.

"If they want to hold rallies, then do it in one place at kumuha ng media upang i-cover. There's no need to go there just to dramatize your cause,"
Alarcio said.

"They should do some activities in a certain place. Mas maganda, mas tahimik. Ang pangit iyong you want to dramatize your point by disturbing what should be a peaceful activity," Alarcio said.

Perez, however, said they want to do their protests as close to the CICC as possible.

Perez refused to say which part of the CICC they would hold their protest action.

"Basta dili lang sab layo kaayo, dili sab duol kaayo," he said. /Chief of Reporters of Suzanne Salva-Alueta, Reporters Wilfredo Rodolfo III and Doris C. Bongcac, and Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan

| More...