NINE persons mostly affiliated with militant groups were arrested yesterday after shouting "Patalsikin si Gloria" during the kick-off ceremony led by President Arroyo for the Women’s Month celebration in Calamba, Laguna.

Arrested were Antonio Prescella, 30, Bayan Muna member; Mark Anthony Velasco, 24, of the Kabataan Party; Nante Ecledea, 26, a Bayan volunteer; Eric Paco, 21, of Quezon province; Vicfer Siangco, 24, of San Pablo City; Vladimir Orca, 25, Kabataan; Angelo Dangalan, 21, a UP Los Baños student; Federico Torres, 33, of Sta. Cruz, Laguna, and Ivy Jade Tañedo also of Kabataan.

The nine will be charged with alarm and scandal, said Chief Supt. Ricardo Padilla, Laguna provincial director.

Brig. Gen. Romeo Prestoza, commander of the Presidential Security Group, said President Arroyo was releasing balloons when the nine militants shouted slogans calling for her ouster.

Prestoza said Arroyo did not hear what the "hecklers" shouted because they were too far and there were many people around, but she noticed the commotion.

He said the President would still push through with her activities despite the heckling. He said security around the President would still be tight but some things, such as heckling, could not be prevented.

"Itong mga ganitong bagay di naman maiiwasan. Wala tayong magagawa kasi minsan nangyayari pero ang importante hindi naman nasaktan ang Pangulo," he said, adding the incident in Calamba was a "non-issue."

Arroyo was also heckled by militant student Ma. Theresa Panganiban when she attended the graduation rites of the Cavite State University in April 2006. This was followed by another attempt that was thwarted by stricter inspection by authorities.

In her speech at the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), Arroyo said: "Cedaw at hindi ‘sigaw’ ang panlaban sa kahirapan." She was apparently alluding to the series of protest actions against her administration.

She said Cedaw upholds and strengthens the rights of Filipino women, which she said is why the United Nations cited the Philippines last year for the biggest decline in discrimination against women. She said the World Economic Forum also recognized the Philippines as the only Asian country in the world’s Top 10 when it comes to gender parity.

"At tinututukan natin ang pagpalago ng ekonomiya sapagkat ito ang tanging daan upang umahon sa kahirapan ng bansa, babae man o lalaki," she said.

She said the Philippines is "on schedule" when it comes to meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals in terms of gender equality by 2015, including eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, reducing child mortality, combating the HIV and AIDS, fighting malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development.

Lorelei Fajardo, deputy presidential spokeswoman, said resignation calls would only make President Arroyo more determined to finish her term.

Fajardo called on former President Corazon Aquino, who is also calling for Arroyo’s resignation, to "be an agent of development and not discord." She said the people are awaiting the gains of her economic reforms and the opposition should heed their desire for socio-political stability.

Several members of the League of Cities of the Philippines paid a courtesy call on Arroyo and expressed support for her administration.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas, LCP president, said 77 out of 120 city mayors signed a statement of support for the President.

In their statement, the mayors said the allegations against the President have not been examined or proven using judicial proceedings. They said the political noise in Metro Manila does not reflect the sentiments of all Filipinos.

Nine Metro Manila mayors also submitted a resolution expressing full support for Arroyo and calling on all sectors to unite for the country’s best interest.

Mayors Jejomar Binay (Makati), Alfredo Lim (Manila), Vergel Aguilar (Las Piñas), and Robert Eusebio (Pasig) were not among the signatories.

Anthony Golez, deputy presidential spokesman, blasted the call for overseas Filipino workers not to remit any more money to the Philippines as a sign of protest. He said most OFWs would not want to disrupt the country’s stability and adversely affect the living conditions of their families.

"Any destabilization move will only contradict the very reason they are abroad. We also believe the OFWs abroad would also want to see justice to be served through our legal processes," he said. – Regina Bengco