PNP welcomes court decision dismissing ACT partylist petition

February 8, 2019

The Philippine National Police (PNP) welcomed the decision of the Court of Appeals dismissing the petition of Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) partylist accusing them of violating constitutional rights.

“We maintain that all our activities and operations as well within our lawful mandate and constantly under the presumption of regularity,” PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac said in a statement Friday.

On January 17, ACT partylist filed a petition before the Court of Appeals (CA) to seek remedy to the ongoing profiling operations being conducted by the PNP against their organization.

They included PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano and ten PNP regional directors as respondents.

But CA’s 11th division, in a resolution released on Thursday, cited “infirmities” on the group’s petition.

It said the petitioners failed to submit certified true copies of the PNP’s order to check on their members.

The group also failed to include the dates when they received the police memorandum.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) also welcomed the decision saying the petition contained “malicious and groundless” accusations.

“It is clear from the Court’s decision that the petition was half-baked and contained elementary errors which a well-prepared lawyer would never commit,” DILG Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.

He said they are disappointed that instead of holding dialogue, the group went to the court  to politicize the issue.

Malaya said “the DILG and PNP will continue to perform its task of protecting the right to life, liberty and property of the people while making sure that legitimate dissent, done within the bounds of the law is respected”.

The PNP said ACT partylist was one of the groups named by Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison as among their legal front organizations. Ella Dionisio/DMS