Philippine Protesters, Police Clash
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MANILA — An estimated 5,000 protesters demanding the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo scuffled with riot police today, soon after the president declared a state of emergency amid coup plot rumors.
The declaration allows arrests without warrants and an extension of detention without charge.
The protesters gathered near a monument to the “people power” revolt that helped oust dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. They threw sticks at police carrying clubs and shields, and security forces sprayed the crowd with a fire hose.
The military barred troops from leaving their camps and detained a general suspected of being involved in the reported plot.
“I have declared a state of emergency,” Arroyo said in a taped broadcast.
The government also banned rallies without a permit.
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