Police disruption and harassment during peaceful protests will immediately be met with respective filing of criminal charges against activists and people who will rally against Marcos Jr., Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) secretary general Renato Reyes, Jr. asserts as he condemned the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) threats in quelling rallies in the upcoming first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of Bongbong Marcos, Jr.
Reyes also called out the overkill security measures for Marcos Jr. In a tweet, he says, “popular president daw pero parang napaka-insecure,” referring to Marcos who supposedly won with 31-million votes last May 2022 polls. Marcos will deliver his first SONA on July 25.
The PNP has previously pronounced Commonwealth Avenue to be a “no rally zone,” emphasizing that protesters must not protest within the vicinity of the House of Representatives on July 25. They boasted of more than 21,000 state forces to be deployed within the area – the largest in recent history which beats Duterte’s 15,000 in 2021.
Police regard Commonwealth Ave. as a “common thoroughfare,” and that protests will cause “public disorder,” specifically “traffic and inconveniences.” Mass mobilizations are recognized as a form of the people’s right to assembly and freedom of expression, protected by the 1987 Constitution. People’s SONA rallies were commonly held in Commonwealth before this year.
“Kung ano gusto nilang hinaing, pagbibigyan pero doon sa nararapat na lugar para sa kanila,” QCPD Deputy Director for Administration Col. Fernando Ortega stated. “Commonwealth is not the right place for them.”
QCPD also strictly recommended the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) to deny BAYAN’s application for permit which the QC DPOS strictly followed. reasoning out that Batasan Road is “not a freedom park” and that the protest will incur traffic.
However, Reyes, Jr. asserted the significance of securing a permit from the Quezon City government, also ensuring that the protest will be conducted peacefully. He furthered that the DPOS permit rejection is “both arbitrary and lazy,” dubbing such as a mere copy-paste based on the directives of the QCPD.
Reyes, Jr. said that “traffic is not a basis to deny permit,” as securing one must entail the local government to make necessary adjustments. He added the denial of permit showed the lack of independence of QC DPOS, who is currently headed by a retired police general, and consequently sought out Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte to look into the matter.
Police forces state “maximum tolerance and calibrated response” will be employed if protesters insist on holding the rally. They expressed hopes that no harm or harassment will take place.
“Kung magkakaroon po ng sakitan, definitely po ay hindi po maiiwasan na magkaroon po ng arrest d’yan at may mga naka-standby po tayo na mga bus ng BJMP na kung saan pupwede po nating dalhin doon kung saka-sakaling may maaresto,” PNP spox Jean Fajardo stated.
Effigy-burning was also pronounced to be banned since it will necessitate people to converge. Meanwhile, Marcos Jr.’s SONA will gather around 1,300 guests in the enclosed Batasan.
Despite the vilification of protests, based on previous occurrences, SONA rallies have been peacefully conducted and organizers sought dialogues with the police to avoid violence. Other mobilizations have also been held with no violence incurred on those involved. On multiple occasions, only police disruption has engendered insecurity and danger on protesters.
Last May 25 during Marcos, Jr.’s proclamation, police forces bombed protesters with water canons, hindering them from marching along Commonwealth Ave. This happened while the program was being held in Liwasang Diokno — a recognized freedom park — in front of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). Likewise, during Marcos, Jr.’s inauguration, some groups were unable to attend the protest action as police forces barred them through supposed checkpoints.
Also last May, Manila Collegian journalist Lloyd Manango was illegally nabbed by police forces while protesters were preparing for a mobilization near the US Embassy.
Nonetheless, despite clear violation of the protesters’ civil liberties, PNP maintained their threats are for the best interests of the people. However, a recent US Congress legislation halted the US’s financial support to the PNP because they have many human rights violation records.
“The PNP is employing worn out scare tactics. The PNP wants to show the world it is a human rights violator,” Reyes stated.
Reyes further asserted that protesters, with or without permit, must not be arrested. Police forces have constantly engaged in illegal and mass arrests which have, at all times, been junked due to clear lack of evidence other than false allegations.
As with the PNP’s supposed “maximum tolerance,” any of their abuse or disruptive tactics towards the protesters will be faced with criminal charges for directly violating the people’s rights and liberties, Reyes retorted.
So far into the Marcos, Jr. administration, dissent has been met with disdain by the state, with efforts to quell such may it be through the shutdown of alternative media outlets, illegal mass arrests, red tagging, and enforced disappearances.
Earlier, the launch of ML@50 Tuloy ang Laban in the Quezon City Sports Complex was disrupted by one mobile unit of the Quezon City District Mobile Force Batallion – a police unit that is often involved in counter-insurgency operations usually targeted against civilian activists.
Despite records of harassment and intimidation, sectoral groups are preparing to protest and are urging the people to push forward with opposing the Marcos-Duterte tandem’s scare tactics, and remain vigilant to fight against their anti-democratic efforts and truth distortion.
According to BAYAN’s post, people should protest in the streets in SONA because of rising prices, dwindling democratic institutions, foreign domination, red-tagging, and the installation of another Marcos to executive power which they deemed to be against the people’s interests.
BAYAN, alongside other mass organizations and advocacy groups, is calling on the Filipino people to join and strengthen mass demands in the upcoming SONA ng Bayan on July 25.
Featured images courtesy of Renato Reyes and PIA-NCR
