MANILA, Philippines — A group of artists condemned the police for allegedly confiscating its mural for the 58 victims of the Maguindanao massacre ahead of the promulgation for the case on Thursday.
The Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) said in a statement that members of the police took the group’s “Fight for 58” mural in front of Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, where the promulgation was held, during the start of the vigil for the verdict on the case.
“We condemn this act of harassment and display of impunity by the police. It is an act which curtails freedom of expression and assembly,” it said.
“Media groups who first went to Camp Bagong Diwa just arrived and were starting to set up the mural as the backdrop of the public vigil when the police suddenly confiscated the work and brought it inside the camp,” the group added.
According to CAP, the mural, like tarpaulins brought by families of the victims, is meant to express the group’s outrage over the lives lost in the massacre, including those of 32 media practitioners.
“The artwork is among the many forms of expression to be displayed during the public vigil. it should be in the streets now and not in the PNP’s (Philippine National Police) custody,” said CAP.
As of 11:30 a.m., the artwork is still in the custody of the police, according to the group.
CAP demands that the mural its artists created and was commissioned by the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines be returned.
“It depicts the media workers together, protesting against symbols of impunity such as the backhoe that seeks to bury justice for the victims as well as the ideals of press freedom and freedom of expression. Written across the work are calls of the masses and the people that seek to end injustice overdue for ten years,” said CAP.
INQUIRER.net is still seeking comment from the National Capital Region Police Office on the matter.