MANILA, Philippines — Urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) “voluntarily surrendered” the copies of Pinoy Weekly magazines for fear that it might be used during the President’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), police said Monday.
In a statement, Central Luzon regional police director Brig. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia said Kadamay – Pandi president Lea Maralit and Kadamay members Marilou Iligan, Jeselyn Jasadon, Beth Guerrero, Carmie Dela Cruz, Niel Villamor and Gina Peyil voluntarily surrendered thousands of Pinoy Weekly magazine print copies to the Pandi, Bulacan police.
This was contrary to the claim of Pinoy Weekly editor-in-chief Kenneth Roland Guda that the magazines were illegally seized by lawmen from Kadamay at Villa Lois public housing on Sunday, July 26.
Sermonia maintained that the Kadamay members yielded the copies for fear that it might be used during the fifth SONA.
“PBGEN SERMONIA also said that MARALIT revealed to authorities about her fear that the subversive documents might be used during the SONA of President Rodrigo R Duterte,” read the statement from PRO-3 Public Information Office.