Eleazar assures Labor Day protesters: No human rights violations
Photo by Gabriel Pabico Lalu
MANILA, Philippines — The police will observe maximum tolerance in dealing with activists joining Labor Day protests Wednesday, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office said.
“Wala, wala, maximum tolerance. Kailan ba may nangyari, for the past years, na nagkaroon ng human rights violations?” he told INQUIRER.net after checking on the status of protest movements in Welcome Rotunda, Quezon City.
He said it also helps that organizers of the protest actions have been communicating with authorities regarding the peace and order situation. However, he warned that protesters who would violate laws and ordinances would be dispersed or even arrested.
“Kita naman natin na nakikipag-usap din sila sa atin, at nagkakaroon ng magandang arrangement,” Eleazar said.
“Pero ‘yon nga, nag-uusap mga leaders pero don sa mga nasa baba, kung sino ang magba-violate, nandon ‘yong maximum tolerance para kung talagang nag-aabuso na, we can always disperse them and we can always conduct arrest against them,” he added.
As of now, Eleazar said that the situation remains peaceful, adding that police officers are constantly monitoring the protests.
“Tuloy-tuloy ang ating coordination sa mga agencies, pero wala naman tayong namo-monitor. Sinasabi nga na baka may mag-infiltrate na mga NPA, eh lagi naman nating naririnig ‘yong ganyan. Dito naman kasi, evidence-based, ‘pag may nakita tayo na may mga warrant of arrest d’yan, arestuhin natin ‘yan,” he explained.
“Pwede tayong mag-random check ng mga bag eh, ‘pag may nakita tayo, ‘yong plainview na sinasabi natin, sa mga checkpoint. Pero dito, ibang lugar ito, may mga information na nagsasabi na pwedeng mag-infiltrate, we can always check,” he added.
Eleazar said the police would not hesitate to arrest protesters with pending warrants of arrest.
Earlier, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said some communist rebels would surely join the Labor Day protest in order to sow disorder.
Labor groups denounced Albayalde’s statements, saying that it is the government’s intelligence officers who are infiltrating the ranks of protesters.
READ: Beware of Labor Day rally troublemakers – PNP
READ: KMU downplays warnings that NPA members may join Labor Day protests
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