Cops nab protester during Duterte speech in Kawit

SAN PEDRO CITY – The police arrested a male protester who was among a group of activists that attempted to disrupt President Duterte’s Independence Day speech in Kawit, Cavite.

“Right now we have one who we are taking to the (police) station. Others were not arrested because they were minors,” said Chief Insp. Mark Jason Gatdula, Kawit police chief.

The police could not immediately give the name of the protester but members of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Southern Tagalog identified him as a certain “IC,” a member of the militant overseas workers alliance, Migrante.

It was not immediately clear what charges the police would file against him.

Anakbayan-Southern Tagalog chairperson Mackie Valenzuela said around 10 activists made it into the crowd early this morning just as Duterte was about to deliver his speech at the Aguinaldo Shrine.

Valenzuela said the protesters, mostly youth activists, were able to chant “Duterte trahidor” (traitor) just before policemen shoved them away from the audience.

“He (Duterte) is a traitor just like (Emilio) Aguinaldo. All he’s been giving us were fake promises, fake economic reforms as we see with the TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) law and Martial Law (in Mindanao),” he said.

Valenzuela said about 75 other activists would continue with the protest, but several meters away from the Aguinaldo Shrine, until Tuesday noon.