Screengrab from CEGP video footage posted on INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday denied that it harassed non-government organizations (NGO) in Quezon City that were distributing face masks and alcohol to students on the first day of the resumption of classes.
The PNP was referring to an incident in Quezon City where a video showed police officers confiscating face masks, alcohol and food being distributed by the NGOs Salinlahi and Children’s Rehabilitation Center to the students of President Corazon Aquino Elementary School, as well as Placards calling for the safe return to in-person classes.
According to the PNP in a statement, the said group of people initially asked permission from the Quezon City Police District Assistance Desk that they will distribute alcohol and school supplies near the gate, but suddenly brought out streamers and placards containing protest statements, “thus disrupting the movement of parents and students … and threatened to trigger a traffic bottleneck on the busy road.”
The Quezon City Police District then immediately dispatched policemen to warn the protesters against throwing the opening day of class in disorder, also requesting them to remove their placards.
“Despite our diplomatic efforts, the protesters refused to leave. Peace and order should be kept in a learning environment. Our personnel had to confiscate the streamers and placards because they didn’t take heed to our request,” said QCPD District Director PBGen. Nicolas Torre III.
Meanwhile, in its own statement, the Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concern explained that the police were assailing the word “ipaglaban” in their placard, which merely said “Ligtas na Balik Eskwela, Ipaglaban,” (fight for a safe return to school).
“When asked why, the police responded that Salinlahi did not have a permit and that the distribution was prohibited,” said the NGO.
“Salinlahi believes that this is the chilling effect of the Anti-Terror Law, misbranding humanitarian and aid distribution as anti-government action,” it added.
It condemned to the highest degree the “intimidation and harassment of QCPD,” tagging it as “plainly despicable and illegal.”
A video of the incident showed police confiscating the donation and placards in front of children and their parents.
It also showed some officers gripping some of the NGOs’ members by their neck after refusing to let them confiscate the materials.
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