Cops stop militants' protest
vs. controversial dam project

While President Benigno Aquino III led the Liberal Party sortie inside the Provincial Capitol noontime yesterday, around 50 protesters from Bayan Muna were dismayed after they tried to get in front of the building but were prevented by the police from doing so and were told to hold the protest in some other area.

Reylan Vergara, spokesperson of Bayan Panay, tried to reason out with the police that they came to stage a peaceful protest, adding they wanted to raise their five major concerns to the President, because it is not always that PNoy visits Iloilo City.

But police did not give in and asked the group to move farther away from the Capitol.

Vergara said Bayan only want PNoy to hear their major concerns, namely: push for the construction of new Hall of Justice Building; push for the cancellation of the business permit of Semirara Mining Corp.; continuous oil price hike; “Matuwid na Daan” rhetoric of the Aquino Administration; and hyped economic growth.

“Ang isyu sang HOJ na ginapamatukan naton sa pagretrofit sina amo nang nagapanawagan kita na dapat magpatindog sang panibag-o kag mabakod nga HOJ. Ikaduwa, ang pagkansela sang permit ng Semirara Mining Corp. nga amo ang kabangdanan sang pagkamatay sang lima kag may lima pang hasta subong wala pa makita, so, isa ina na pagpakita ya nga na di lamang dunang manggad kag environment ang ginaguba kag ginahalitan sang mining company, mismo ang kabuhi sang ila nga mga obrero kag subong man sang aton nga mga pumuluyo. Ang ikatatlo ang padayun na pagsaka sang oil price diri sa may pungsod ng Pilipinas,” he said.

“Ining mga mayor nga gusto namon i-raise tani sa presidente, apang bangud sang pagharang sang kapulisan dismayado kami, na nagpapakita lang na ang atong mga kapulisan na ni, dapat, santo sa laye, ara sila diri, para hundred meters ang ilang distansiya sa nagapatigayun sang protesta, pero ti, ginatabunan no, ti, daku ni yang problema sang pamunuan sang PNP na wala nila ginasunod ang pila ka kasuguan na dapat tani partinidir sa pagrespeto sa kinamatarung sang atong mga pumuluyo,” he concluded.

Under the Police Operational Engagement Procedures, the Philippine National Police units tasked to maintain peace and order shall not interfere with the holding of public assembly after verification that the permit for such purpose has been issued by the local government unit concerned. Further, to ensure public safety, a Civil Disturbance Management contingent shall be detailed and stationed at least 100 meters away from the place where the public assembly is being held. 

In the absence of any permit from the LGU concerned, the PCO in command should exert effort to persuade the demonstrators to disperse peacefully and vacate the public place.*