No permit, no rally in Manila – Isko Moreno

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. (File photo from INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — Those who wish to hold rallies and other public gatherings in Manila should now get a permit from the city government, outgoing Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced on Wednesday.

In a memorandum, Moreno ordered barangay chiefs and police commanders to make sure that the law would be “strictly enforced” in the city.

He reversed his previous order of not requiring permits for campaign rallies during the campaign period following the rally at the main office of the Commission on Elections in Intramuros on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people, mostly activists and members of youth groups, participated in that rally to question the results of the just-concluded elections and to protest the apparent victory of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Moreno said the city would have to move on after the election fever.

“We have to put things in the right order,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.  “For the purposes of moving on, so we could return to normal, we need to put things in perspective.”

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