Pursuing case vs alleged MRT vandal an ‘overkill’–Bayan

Screen grab from Renato Reyes’ Twitter account

Activist-poet Angelo Suarez was released from detention pending investigation after being accused of vandalizing a train of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT) on Tuesday night, according to militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes, who had taken to social media to share updates on Suarez’s case, said the latter was ordered released by a Quezon City fiscal as the complainants from the MRT management “did not have proper authorization to file a complaint.”

“We have learned that the MRT 3 still wants to pursue the case and is attempting to cure their defective complaint despite our repeated objections. So to the supporters of Gelo, please call on the MRT 3 to stop the harassment. Stop the filing of cases against its critics,” Reyes wrote.

“We remain willing to hold a dialogue with the DoTr (Department of Transportation) on the issues concerning the rail system, but what is happening to Gelo is already overkill … Rather than prosecute an activist, there are better things the MRT can do to address the valid grievances of its riders,” he added.

After alighting at the Quezon Avenue station from Kamuning on Tuesday, Suarez was apprehended by a security guard for allegedly writing the text “MRT bulok” on the train.

READ: Lalaki, inaresto dahil sa pagsusulat ng ‘MRT bulok’ sa loob ng MRT train

Suarez has denied the allegations.

Reyes said Suarez and company were taken to the Quezon City Hall of Justice on Wednesday for inquest proceedings, after a cancelled dialog with MRT and transportation department officials.

“We were already seated in a conference room looking forward to the dialogue when the police informed us that the dialogue will not be pushing through because the MRT [general manager] would not be available until 2 p.m. The GM apparently instructed the police to just proceed with the inquest,” he said. YG