Update
MANILA, Philippines — Sixteen members of youth groups were arrested after holding anti-government protests in Iligan City during Independence Day on Friday.
Police Regional Office 10 or the Northern Mindanao police said in its initial report that the protesters who were yet to be identified belonged to the Iligan Youth Advocate and Stand IIT.
Police said the demonstrators called for the junking of the anti-terror bill during a rally in Barangay Pala-o at 11 a.m.
The rallyists also urged the government to launch “mass testing” instead of “mass arresting.”
The protesters were detained at the Iligan City police station 5 while appropriate complaints are being readied against them.
Released
But Police Lt. Col. Michael Pareja, chief of Iligan police, clarified in a phone interview that the protesters were already released after having a dialogue with their parents.
Pareja said they issued a citation ticket against the 13 members of the youth group for alleged violation of social distancing.
“They were given citation tickets for the ordinance on violation of mass gathering,” he said.
Pareja added that the issued citation tickets have corresponding fines that can be paid at the city hall.
Pareja also noted that three other individuals were released without issuing tickets after finding out that they were not members of the youth group.
Meanwhile, the youth group STAND-IIT condemned the arrest, saying that the action of the law enforcers failed to specify the violations of the protesters.
“STAND-IIT condemns these kinds of actions from the Philippine National Police and any government bureaucracy which undermines the constitutionally guaranteed rights to dissent of the Filipinos. We view this as an illegitimate action of the PNP to stop the ongoing Mañanita happening in some parts of the Philippines,” read the statement on its official Facebook page.
“The arresting officer in charge who should be the one to state the grounds of their arrest failed to cite any violations and refused to provide details until the arrival of the Chief Office, Major Allan Abalde of Iligan City Police Station 5,” it added.