(Photo courtesy of Piston Facebook)
MANILA, Philippines — Transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) condemned the alleged harassment by the police of its members who held a protest rally in front of the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Wednesday.
The group, which opposes the public utility vehicle modernization program, staged their protest during the lower house’s transportation committee hearing on the issue.
“Sa pagnanais na busalan ang mga panawagan, ipinag-utos ng mga kumander ng QCPD na takpan ang mga banner, dikitan at gitgitin ang bulto ng mga nagpoprotesta. Ilang sandali pa, nagpadala na sila ng karagdagang mga pulis, mga shield at truncheon sa layong paatrasin ang protesta,” the group said in a post on Facebook.
(In their desire to suppress our appeals, the commanders of QCPD (Quezon City Police District) ordered the covering of banners and to close in on the group of protesters. After a while, they sent additional policemen, shields, and truncheons to push back the protest.)
“Nagpadala rin ng fire truck na unti-unting idinikit sa hanay ng mga drayber, operator at komyuter at nakaambang bombahin ng tubig ang mga nagpoprotestang mamamayan,” the group added.
(They also sent a fire truck, gradually moving it towards the ranks of drivers, operators, and commuters, and poised to hose down the protesting citizens.)
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, in a post on social media platform “X,” apologized for the incident.
Piston, in response, thanked Belmonte for her apology.