MANILA, Philippines — The Marikina government ordered the city police department to release 10 relief volunteers who were detained on Friday for allegedly violating the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) rules.
“Nag-overreact ‘yung PNP (Philippine National Police), eh. Hindi dapat inaresto dahil wala namang ginagawang masama yung mga kababayan natin,” Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said in a statement.
(The PNP was overreacting. They should not have arrested them because the volunteers did not do anything wrong.)
The mayor explained that the volunteers were observing social distancing during the distribution of relief packages.
He added that police officers might have misinterpreted the volunteers’ placards which called for mass testing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Maaring may placards silang dala pero May 1 ngayon, eh, bahagi ito ng pag-e-exercise nitong constitutional rights nila na freedom of expression,” the mayor explained.
(They might have placards but today is May 1, Labor Day and this is an exercise of their constitutional rights which is freedom of expression.)
INQUIRER.net sought reaction from Marikina police chief Col. Restituto Arcangel but has yet to reply as of posting.