Group condemns arrest of 11 anti-terror law protesters in Cabuyao

July 5, 2020

Police arrested and detained 11 activists who were staging a protest action against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 in Cabuyao, Laguna on Saturday afternoon.

Human rights alliance DEFEND–Southern Tagalog said the 11 activists who were arrested for conducting a peaceful protest in Barangay Pulo were injured in a violent dispersal conducted by the police and military.

The group condemned the action of the Cabuyao City police and military forces of the 2nd Infantry Division, Philippine Army (2IDPA), according to its spokesperson, Charmane Jay Maranan.

It claimed that the group from Karapatan-Southern Tagalog already winded up their protest which started around 5pm. 

But as early as 4:30pm, a military truck from the 2nd Civil Military Operation (CMO) Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Division parked beside the barangay hall and blared slanderous propaganda against the progressive organizations, insinuating that the groups were “front organizations” of the communist rebels.

“However, when the protesters started to pack up before leaving, the state agents started to come closer and approached the group, after which they started restraining the protesters,” Maranan said.

The arrested activists are still being held inside the Cabuyao Municipal Police Station while three of them who are minors were already released on Sunday morning.

“The height of irony: exactly 24 hours since Rodrigo Duterte affixed his signature on the draconian Terror Law, the first arrests were made on activists who held a peaceful protest against the dangerous law! We now see where the fascist footprints of Duterte’s police and military are headed to in case the law finally takes effect,” Maranan said.

Maranan noted that the arrests were done even if the protesters had committed no clear violation.

“It is clear that the activists were only exercising basic rights to peaceful assembly and to protest, which are enshrined in the Constitution. Nevertheless, we have seen today how easy it is for state forces to violate the people’s basic rights – emboldened further a day after the Terror Law was signed! What other brutalities can the police and military commit after the Terror Law takes effect?” she said.

“With these kinds of actions from the police and military, how can we take the Duterte administration’s word that the Terror Law would not be abused? This sordid incident only proves that the State has absolutely no respect for human rights, and it will do anything to stifle the people’s right to freely express their protest against the abuses of the Duterte administration! It uses the excuse of terrorism to trample upon basic human rights, when in fact the real terrorists here are the ones who use violent force and coercion against peaceful demonstrators and activists," she added.

According to Karapatan-ST spokesperson, Kyle Salgado, police are still keen to press charges against them even if  the cops cannot determine what violations they committed.

“Instead of criminalizing dissent and violently stifling our legitimate criticisms, the Duterte regime should instead focus on actual pressing issues. The lack of mass testing and social amelioration continues to severely affect the lives and livelihoods of millions of people, including the residents of Cabuyao,” Salgado said.

“But instead, Duterte is too busy militarizing our neighborhoods and manhandling us should we try to speak up,” he added.

The group continues to demand the immediate release of the remaining eight activists arrested.

It also seeks accountability from Cabuyao police chief Lieutenant Colonel Reycon Garduque, Laguna Provincial Police Director Colonel Serfin Petalio II, Calabarzon police Regional Director Brigadier General Vicente Danao, and the 2nd Infantry Division for the alleged violence and impunity that they displayed.

“We call on Cabuyao Mayor Mel Gecolea to intervene and be on the correct side of history. And we demand Duterte to answer for all his crimes against the Filipino people,” Salgado said.

The police have yet to comment on the incident. Ella Dionisio/DMS