Lawmakers
have moved to thrash out the 'No Permit No Rally' policy of the government by
filing a bill that abolishes Batas Pambansa Blg. 880, which requires people to
secure written permit from authorities before they could peaceably assemble in
a public place.
House
Bill 3668, to be known as 'The Freedom of Expression Act of 2013,' strengthens
the right of the people to free expression, peaceably assemble and petition the
government for redress of grievances, said Bayan Muna Reps. Neri Colmenares and
Carlos Isagani Zarate.
“More
often than not,” Colmenares said, “authorities invoke the ‘No Permit, No Rally’
rule to justify the dispersal of rallies.”
“The
Marcos-period Batas Pambansa Bilang 880 has been the convenient excuse for
state forces to suppress otherwise peaceful demonstrations, effectively
curtailing the basic constitutional rights to assembly, free speech and
petition of government for redress of grievances,” Colmenares added.
Colmenares
said by repealing the “Marcosian relic” law, the bill shall ensure untrammeled
exercise of civil rights.
“Its
underlying premise is basic: the constitutional rights of the people to
peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances are
essential and vital to the individual and the collective strength and stability
of the nation,” Colmenares said.
Under
the bill, no permit shall be required for any person or persons to organize and
hold a public assembly in a highway, boulevard, avenue, road, street, bridge or
thoroughfare, park, plaza, square and or any open space of public ownership
where people are allowed access.
The
organizers and leaders of the public assembly shall, however, inform and
coordinate with the mayor or local authority regarding the agenda and details
of the said assembly.
They
shall also police their own ranks to prevent non-demonstrators from disrupting
the lawful activities and avert molestation by demonstrators of the people not
participating in the public assembly.
The
bill prohibits law enforcement authorities from interfering with the holding of
a public assembly but mandates them to adequately ensure public safety by
deploying a contingent under the command of a responsible police officer. The
police contingent shall be stationed at least 200 meters away from the area of
the activity.
The
bill also prohibits the dispersal of a public assembly unless such becomes
actually violent.
Zarate
said under the bill, no personal could be punished or held criminally liable
for participating in a public assembly.
“No
leader, organizer or participant shall be arrested during the public assembly
and no tax shall be imposed upon any means or media used and owned by private
individuals for expression as defined herein,” Zarate said.
The
bill slaps violators of the act with seven years of imprisonment and perpetual
disqualification from public office.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=642336
This is a blatant attempt by Communist Party of the Philippine (CPP) activists to gain the upper hand against government security forces for control of Philippine streets during protest actions. Bayan Muna (People First) is a CPP political front and Reps. Neri Colmenares and Carlos Isagani Zarate are long-time CPP activists.
ReplyDeleteThe commies believe that they should be allowed to protest whenever and wherever they wish and be absolved of any legal responsibility when they precipitate violent attacks against police or government officials. This bill would lead to anarchy in the streets and hopefully will not be given serious consideration by Philippine legislators.