Protesters from various groups staged a rally at the campus of the University of the Philippines hours before President Duterte delivered his State of the Nation Address (Sona), amid warnings from the Philippine National Police that it will carry out arrests against those who would be violating strict health protocols.
The protest, held along University Avenue inside the country’s foremost public tertiary school, was spearheaded by the cause oriented group Bayan and against Duterte’s address to the country, which Malacanang said earlier would focus on the government’s continuing effort to battle the Covid-19.
The assembly, which was allowed by UP officials, was joined by members of various groups from the labor, health, transport, youth and education sectors who protested against the shutting down of television network ABS-CBN, the new anti-terrorism law and the government’s response to the contagion.
Just an hour before the protests where social distancing and wearing of face masks were observed by the protesters, PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa reiterated warnings that they would arrest violators of the strict health protocols and even those who would stage rallies in public places since local officials did not any issue permit for the gathering.
“We have issued a warning against the holding of mass protests and public assemblies, bearing in mind the need to comply with the rules on social distancing. With the public’s health primordial in our minds, the PNP will perform its mandate to enforce the law, strictly and in accordance with IATF (Inter Agency Task on Emerging Infectious Diseases) regulations,” Gamboa said during a news briefing.
“Those who will insist on staging public assemblies in the privacy of chartered jurisdictions, we hold them accountable for their actions, including the safety of participants to their activities. We also welcome the commitment of local government units in discouraging public assemblies and protest actions within their areas,” he added.
Gamboa said that until the protests at UP, he has not heard any among the local officials in Metro Manila who has authorized any “gatherings or rallies” within their areas, but if individuals persists to exercise their freedom of expression and assembly, then the guidelines issued by the IATF on Covid-19 will come into play.
“So if you do not have a local government unit permit, then necessarily, what is the restriction? The IATF says gatherings will not be more than 10 (participants). Once you conglomerate and you number to 10, no more questions asked, we will arrest you,” Gamboa said.
Gamboa recalled that during his sendoff ceremony for policemen tasked to secure President Duterte’s address, he told them that if protesters are bent on gathering in big numbers, then perhaps, they could “provide a space where we can bring all of these violators and then probably request from Quezon City to bring receipt, so that if there is fine, we will fine them for violating quarantine protocols.”
Still, Gamboa said that he had ordered policemen to observe maximum tolerance “at all times, even when provoked” following instructions from President Duterte to authorities to “allow free expression and public assembly, and prevent violent confrontation between government forces and rallyists.”
In Bulacan, policemen took copies of magazine “Pinoy Weekly” that they reportedly considered as “subversive” publication during an operation at the office of urban group Kadamay at Villa Louis, Barangay Siling Bata in the town of Pandi.
Kadamay branded the operation as a “raid” but Police Regional Office 3 director Brig. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia said copies of the weekly were voluntarily surrendered by the group.
“Pandi Kadamay President Lea Maralit, together with six other Kadamay members, requested Pandi police to proceed at the Model House, Villa Louis, Brgy Siling Bata, Pandi Bulacan to accept the voluminous subversive documents being surrendered voluntarily by the group,” the police official said.
Sermonia said that “Maralit revealed to authorities about her fear that the subversive documents might be used during the SONA of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.”
Gamboa said that if there are people who have been felt aggrieved by the operation, then they should file the necessary action. “I suggest file it with IAS (Internal Affairs Service) here at the National Headquarters so that we can deal with it squarely.”
The PNP chief clarified that “there’s no such thing as subversive” anymore following the repeal of RA 1700.”
He also said the anti-terrorism law cannot be used against Kadamay members because the law still has no implementing rules and regulations.