Farmers and indigenous peoples protest outside President Benigno Aquino III’s house in Times St., Quezon City. Photo contributed by Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA).
MANILA, Philippines–The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office recommended on Saturday the filing of vandalism and slight physical injuries charges against the protest leader and others who led 300 people in a rally outside President Aquino’s private home in Quezon City that resulted in a clash with the police.
Antonio “Ka Tonying” Flores, 66, secretary general of the Kilusang Mambubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), was arrested Saturday morning for leading the protest without a permit on Times Street, Barangay (village) West Triangle, at 9:20 a.m., spray-painting the street with messages such as “Patalsikin si P-Noy” and ordering the protesters to throw stones and pieces of wood at the cops, according to the police report.
Twelve policemen were injured while seven protesters were brought to East Avenue Medical Center after the clash.
Malacañang on Sunday assailed the activists who attacked the policemen.
“We are strongly condemning [the incident],” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said over government radio.
“What the [protesters] did in terms of vandalism and inflicting injuries on members of the PNP (Philippine National Police) clearly exceeded the maximum limits of freedom of expression and the government will not allow that to happen again,” he said.
Asked if the government would tighten security at the President’s house, Coloma said the police would continue their “policy of maximum tolerance” but “would implement the law.”
Quoting the PNP, he said two policemen suffered fractures on their thighs while another was wounded in the eye.
KMP chair Rafael Mariano earlier described the incident as “a testament to the escalating human rights violations under the Aquino regime.”
Fascist treatment
“Just and concrete issues of the people are met with violence and rights abuses. We denounce this kind of fascist treatment. This is the height of state-sponsored terror under Aquino,” he said in a statement.
Quezon City Police District director Senior Supt. Joel Pagdilao said cases of illegal assembly, direct assault on a person in authority, serious physical injuries and vandalism were filed in the city’s prosecutor’s office against Flores and other leaders of the protest, including Pastors John Ver and Pio Mercado of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines.
But assistant city prosecutor Pedro Travalles recommended the filing of less physical injuries, slight physical injuries and vandalism, Pagdilao said in a text message.
Cases of illegal assembly and direct assault on an agent of a person in authority against Flores, and charges against Ver and Mercado were set for further investigation, he added.
Ver, Mercado and other protesters managed to escape while Flores was detained at Camp Karingal in Quezon City.
Christina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan, said Flores will post bail on Monday.
KMP staged the protest as part of the ongoing “Manilakbayan,” a caravan of Mindanao-based farmers and indigenous peoples condemning the military operations in southern Philippines, such as bombings that resulted in the evacuation of indigenous peoples from Bunawan, Agusan del Sur, and from three villages in Claveria, Misamis Oriental.
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