Quezon City Police District (QCPD) personnel were deployed Monday morning to Sitio San Roque in Barangay Bagong Pag-asa in Quezon City, the police district's public information office confirmed.
In a press statement sent to reporters, QCPD Director Police Brigadier General Ronnie Montejo said that protests were in violation of social distancing measures.
The QCPD said in its statements that the purpose of their deployment on Monday was to establish dialogue with members of urban poor group Kadamay over supposed violations of the quarantine.
Mass gatherings are prohibited by virtue of the enhanced community quarantine imposed over mainland Luzon.
In a series of tweets, urban poor alliance Save San Roque for their part said that over fifteen police operatives raided community kitchens—which QCPD said were set up by Kadamay—for Sitio San Roque residents and tore down protest materials.
READ: Kadamay unfairly blamed for Sitio San Roque protest, group and supporters say
"After a dialogue with the group of Bagaspas, the QCPD requested them to remove their protest placards which they voluntarily submitted to and reminded them to observe social or physical distancing," the QCPD statement read.
Save San Roque@SaveSanRoque
BREAKING: Ikatlong araw ng Kusinang Bayan, binulabog ng mga pulis
Sa kabila ng mapayapang bayanihan sa Kusinang Bayan ng San Roque, may higit 15 na pulis ang sumugod sa dalawang kusina para punitin ang mga nakakabit na panawagan para sa ayuda.#BigasHindiDahas#StandWithThePoor
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READ: Duterte warns groups disrupting quarantine
PNP chief Police General Archie Gamboa has warned the public of "firm and decisive police action" against those found to be involved in "illegal mass actions."
Even the chief executive himself has echoed similar sentiments, going as far as issuing an order to the national police and the armed forces to "shoot dead" violators of the quarantine who put their lives in jeopardy.
In a separate interview with CNN Philippines, Interior spokesperson Jonathan Malaya accused the group of being a front for communist rebels anew.
While protesting the lack of food and financial aid from the government, 21 members of the urban poor community were arrested last week after a spontaneous protest was dispersed by the QCPD.
At the time, the rallyists were reportedly calling, "Pagkain kailangan namin wala kami natatanggap mula kay Mayora at Kapitan." (We need food, we don't receive any from the mayor and the captain.)
Athough mass gatherings, including protests, are banned while Luzon is on community quarantine, protesting, expressing dissent, or being a member of an activist group is not the same thing as being a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines or of the New People's Army.
In an earlier text message to Philstar.com, Kadamay Chairperson Gloria Arellano said in Filipino, "Food, medical and social services, and rights are what we were calling for, 'bigas hindi rehas' (rice not railings)."
"Why is it always us being threatened by Duterte? He should ease the transfer of social services instead."
READ: 20 arrested at protest in Quezon City during quarantine
"The lack of urgent and sustained relief from the national government is forcing the urban poor to go out and look for food or for a source of livelihood," Nanoy Rafael of Save San Roque told Philstar.com in an earlier exchange.
"That's why meeting them with violence and arrests was not right."
Philstar.com sought comment from the Office of Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte but her chief of staff, Weng Macatao, has yet to respond as of this post.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/04/06/2005868/conducting-dialogue-cops-raid-san-roque-community-kitchens-tear-protest-materials
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