Jeepney drivers accept relief goods from progressive groups on Saturday, June 27, 2o20, or what the organization dubbed as Solidarity Day. Photo from Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
MANILA, Philippines — The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on Saturday denounced what it deemed as “serious intimidation” by police, whose teams guarded major entry points of the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City as they conducted their relief program for jobless jeepney drivers.
“Lahat ng entrance ng UP may police team na may batuta. Kakaiba. Ngayon lang ‘yan. So hindi fluke ‘yung report kahapon. Monitored namin sila sa entrances sa C.P. Garcia, sa Philcoa, Ylanan, CHR at Katipunan. Grabe intimidation,” Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said in a statement.
(All entrances of UP have police teams that have batons. This is unusual. This happened only today. So the report we got yesterday was not a fluke. We monitored them at entrances on C.P. Garcia, Philcoa, Ylanan, CHR, and Katipunan. It was serious intimidation.)
On Friday, Reyes revealed they received complaints that the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) warned jeepney drivers that they will be arrested if they continue to beg in the streets and attend the Solidarity Day.
Aside from the distribution of relief goods, Bayan, in coordination with transport group Piston, also demanded the return of traditional jeepneys on the road since many drivers were without income since the government imposed lockdowns in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Panahon na para ibalik ang mga jeep sa lansangan upang mabigyang kabuhayan ang mga drivers at magkaroon ng sasakyan ang mga commuters,” Reyes said.
(It is time for jeeps to return to the streets so that drivers will have jobs and commuters will have more options for transportation.)
Progressive groups Kilusang Mayo Uno, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Agham, and Gabriela also participated during Solidarity Day.
INQUIRER.net has reached out to QCPD for their comment on Reyes’ allegations but has yet to get a response as of posting.