Policemen arrested a youth leader during a demonstration near Malacañang Palace Thursday morning.
A radio dzMM report said Andrew Zarate, Anakbayan-National Capital Region spokesman, was arrested by policemen and brought to a police station near Malacañang.
Zarate was arrested when his group and members of the cultural workers' group Ugat Lahi tried to breach the security barrier at Don Chino Roces Bridge (formerly Mendiola), which has been declared by the government as a "no rally" zone.
The groups were demanding President Arroyo to consider changing the position of the government on proposals to suspend the 12-percent value-added tax on oil products.
Several groups, including those from the political opposition, have been urging Mrs. Arroyo to order the suspension of the added tax on oil products and tell her allies in Congress to review the Oil Deregulation Law.