Militant group presses QC court to let them hold rallies near Batasan Complex

MANILA, Philippines – Militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) is waiting for the resolution of their petition to be allowed to conduct protest rallies past St. Peter’s Church along Commonwealth Avenue instead of the football field of the Quezon City Hall.

Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes attended the hearing at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 215 Monday morning, ahead of President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address scheduled in the afternoon.

Representatives of the respondents on the case, the Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, the Quezon City Police District and the Department of Public Order and Safety, cited national security and public convenience as their reason for not allowing protests farther than St. Peter’s Church.

Bayan pressed the court to allow them to get closer to the Batasan Complex than St. Peter’s Church, particularly to let them conduct demonstrations near the transport terminal at the corner of Batasan Complex.

The respondents said that no one has been granted permit to rally in that area and that it was a “no rally zone”. They said that allowing rallyists past St. Peter’s Church would be an inconvenience to the authorities, whose rerouting plans have been laid out, and to the public in general.

The respondents added they could not let the militant group past 50 meters past St. Peter’s Church, which Bayan urged the court to consider because the U-turn slot for VIPs going to Batasan Complex was 20 meters past the said church.

Reyes said they expected some 8,000 rallyists to march towards St. Peter’s Church.