The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) has filed charges against 15 members of militant groups who protested inside the SM Premier mall during the visit of President Benigno Aquino III in the city last September 8.
Among the respondents, only Sheena Duazo, secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), was identified in the complaint lodged before City Prosecution Office (CPO) for violation of Article 153 of the Revised Penal Code of the
President Aquino was the keynote speaker during the Mindanao Membership Meeting and Launching of Mindanao Inclusive Agri-Business Program in the city on September 8.
As the President entered the
Police authorities, security guards and mall staff, were caught by surprise of the protesters who were expected to hold pickets outside the mall. But they were able to breach security like normal mall goers and converged at the third floor of the mall where the event was held.
The progressive groups only stopped their activity after the mall management had talked to them.
For her part, Duazo said the filing of the case against them was a sort of repression of the people’s right to air grievances against the government.
In an interview aired over radio station 783 Radyo ni Juan, Duazo said they already consulted their lawyers about the matter and that they are only waiting for a copy of the complaint against them.
In a separate interview, Sta. Ana Police Station commander Supt. Royina Garma told 783 Radyo ni Juan, that they forwarded the case to the CPO upon orders of the higher-ups.
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Commissioner for Mindanao Jose Mamoag, however expressed doubted that the case will prosper in court, saying “if it was not the mall management which filed the complaint…the police cannot file because there was no disturbance…the police have to study more…the case might just be dismissed.”
“Between the constitutional right to assembly, if there was no public, no damage to property, let it go,” he suggested.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=685712
This is an example of frustrated authorities going after Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) front organizations. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN--New Patriotic Alliance) is a CPP umbrella/sectoral front group.
ReplyDeleteIt has been the long-standing policy of the CPP to have members of its front organizations conduct protest actions against the Philippine President wherever he/she travels both domestically and internationally. The idea is to create the perception that there is wide-spread grassroots opposition to whatever administration is in power in the Philippines.
I can remember attending an Asia Society Conference back in the 1990s where President Fidel Ramos was the Keynote speaker. Sure enough about 20-25 members of the US-based chapters of BAYAN and the radical League for Filipino Students (LFS) conducted 3-4 hour protest action outside the conference venue. They came with lunch baskets and children in tow. It was probably the social event of the year for these groups. A good time was had by all. lol