MANILA, Philippines—Farmers and fishermen groups who were dispersed last week at the gates of the House of Representatives on Monday filed charges of human rights violation against Speaker Prospero Nograles and other officials of the chamber.
Danilo Ramos, secretary general of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Fernando Hicap, chairman of the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), and Imelda Lacandazo, spokesperson of the Southern Tagalog peasant group Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan (Kasama-TK) led the 10 injured activists in filing the complaints at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
Charges of physical injuries, malicious mischief, threat, intimidation, violation of freedom of expression, violation of right to assembly, and violence against women and children were lodged against Nograles; lawyer Marilyn Yap, secretary general of the House of Representatives; Brigadier General Hortacio Lactao, the House’s sergeant-at-arms; Lieutenant Colonel Isabelito Flores, executive director of the Legislative Security Bureau (LSB); and more than 30 police and security personnel detailed at the chamber.
In a text message, Nograles said he is prepared to respond to the charges.
”We have to read the complaint first then we answer. We also have our rights to do our jobs unhampered by them. We will answer the charges, we welcome them, so we can find out who abused who,” Nograles said.
”You can’t make the House premises your camp and sleeping quarters and your garbage bin. That’s against our human rights too,” the House leader added.
Yap said she welcomed the formal complaint and will answer them.
The Crispin B. Beltran Resource Center (CBBRC) represented by the daughter of the late Anakpawis party-list representative, Ofelia Beltran-Balleta, also joined the complainants, adding that her father’s memorabilia which were exhibited in the camp-out were destroyed during the violent demolition and dispersal last week.
The complaints included photos and videos of the May 22 dispersal which the farmers described as a “repetition of the violent dispersal in Congress during the pre-Martial Law era.”
The complainants appealed to CHR chairman Leila De Lima to immediately call for a full-blown investigation and subpoena those charged.
During the dispersal, 10 people were reportedly injured, and six activists were brought to East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City for treatment. Those brought to the hospital were Antonio Flores, 60, KMP spokesman; Marilyn Marbella, 49, KMP staff; Rommel Aguilar, 18 of Nara-Youth; Oscar Lapida Jr., 47 of Pamalakaya-Southern Tagalog; Merly Ortega of Calatagan, Batangas; and Jeffrey Duran, 15, of General Mariano Alvarez in Cavite.
The farmers and fishermen have been camping outside the gates of the Batasan complex since April as part of their three-month-long campaign to press the House to pass the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB).
