Philippine police have put the Israeli Embassy in Manila under heightened alert, anticipating protest rallies against Israel's missile strikes on Lebanon, which blocked the way of evacuating Filipinos from the country.

Police deployment and monitoring was beefed up around the building which houses the Israeli Embassy in Makati City, Metro Manila, Superintendent Felipe Napoles Jr., Makati Police Station officer-in-charge and operations chief, told reporters on Monday.

Napoles said that at least a group of women from the multi- sectoral "Stop the War Coalition-Philippines" are set to hold another rally in front of the embassy to reiterate the group's condemnation of Israel's military actions in Lebanon, which have caused the evacuation of thousands of foreign nationals including Filipino migrant workers.

"So far, the rallies have been peaceful and they have been relatively small," said the police chief.

Besides the six-man diplomatic security team from the Philippine National Police Special Action Force, the embassy was provided 15 additional policemen from the station assuring 24-hour security for the mission, Napoles said.

A total of 90 anti-riot policemen are on standby in front of the embassy, he said.

Napoles said the police were implementing maximum tolerance in dealing with the protesters.

Source: Xinhua