Bayan Muna representatives Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate filed House Bill 3668, which seeks to “strengthen the right of the people to free expression, peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”
The bill seeks to junk Batas Pambansa 880, which requires a written permit for authorities to rally in public places and was passed during the Marcos administration.
Colmenares said the Marcosian law was used to justify dispersal of rallies.
“The Marcos-period Batas Pambansa Bilang 880 has been the convenient excuse for state forces to suppress otherwise peaceful demonstrations, effectively curtailing the basic constitutional rights to assembly, free speech and petition of government for redress of grievances,” Colmenares said.
Zarate also said under their bill, no persons could be arrested for participating in a rally.
According to the bill, no permit will be required for anyone to hold a public assembly in a highway, boulevard, avenue, road, street, bridge or thoroughfare, park, plaza, square and or any open space of public ownership where people are allowed access.
The organizers and leaders, though, will be required to inform and coordinate with the mayor or local authority over the details of the rally.
The organizers will be required to prevent non-demonstrators from disrupting the rally. They will also need to police their ranks from harassing non-demonstrators.
The bill prohibits law enforcement authorities from interfering with the rally, but mandates them to ensure public safety by deploying a police contingent.
The contingent should be at least 200 meters away from the rally, the bill read.
The measure also bans dispersal of rallies unless it has become violent.
Violators may be penalized with seven years of imprisonment and a disqualification from public office, the bill read.
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