QC court allows militants to hold rally near Batasan complex

MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 215 allowed militant groups to hold protest rally at St. Peter’s Church along Commonwealth from the original venue allowed by the local government which is the football field of the Quezon City Hall.

In her order, Judge Ma. Luisa Quijano-Padilla ruled that the rallyists be “allowed up to the facade of St. Peter’s Parish Church along Commonwealth Avenue.” She however denied the group the temporary restraining order they had asked the court to apply to Bautista so that he “be restrained from implementing the change/modification in the venue of its rally application so as to alloe them to hold their rally at the Batasan Road.”

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes attended the hearing on their petition to reconsider allowing rallyists to go farther than the football field.

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 near the Batasan Complex.

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.

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.