Manila, Nov 05: About 1,000 supporters of deposed Philippine President Joseph Estrada were blocked by riot police from marching on the Supreme Court today to back calls for the impeachment of Chief Justice Hilario Davide. Police said Estrada's supporters wanted to mob the Supreme Court building, where judges were hearing a case on the impeachment bid by some lawmakers that has led to a constitutional crisis.


The hearing was over the legality of attempts by opposition-led members of the house of representatives to impeach Davide for alleged mismanagement of a judicial fund. Scores of riot police, backed by fire trucks, stopped members of the Estrada-linked People's Movement Against Poverty (PMAP) about a block from the Supreme Court building, police said.

The rallyists, shouting anti-government slogans, settled for staging their protest in a cordoned off area.

Radio reports said another group of marchers had reached the area to show their support for Davide but that police had kept the two sides separated. Bureau Report