Critics warn PNP of consequences for profiling act members

MANILA, Philippines — Critics warned the Philippine National Police (PNP) they will give the police a dose of their own medicine if they will not stop profiling members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT).

Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares over the weekend said the PNP is treading on dangerous ground with its insistence on gathering intelligence information on ACT members suspected of supporting communist rebels.

Colmenares warned of dire consequences for the PNP if it will not stop its profiling. Among these are the slew of charges that could be filed in court against policemen.

Colmenares chided PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde for his statement that teachers have nothing to worry about being profiled if they have nothing to hide.

If they will follow the PNP chief’s logic, Colmenares said nothing will prevent them from seeking a petition to have the bank accounts of Albayalde and other police officials in the country opened for scrutiny.

“We will demand to open their bank accounts. If they have nothing to hide then they have nothing to fear. Tell that to Albayalde,” he said.

Colmenares said the PNP is doing a form of electioneering as it will discourage teachers from joining ACT.

ACT officials claimed to have received death threats just days after they discovered the police profiling of its members.

ACT secretary-general Raymond Basilio said he received a call on Friday from a certain Gary who knew of his personal details and issued him a death threat.

Another officer, ACT regional coordinator for central Luzon Aurora Santiago, also received an anonymous call from someone who threatened her if she fails to cooperate.

The group said Santiago’s caller identified himself as the provincial commander of the communist New People’s Army in Bulacan and told her that “if she will not cooperate, (he) can have her house burned or have her killed.”

Basilio on Saturday described the incidents as an escalation of harassment that their group has been receiving in recent weeks.

He noted the profiling conducted by the PNP of its members, which was discovered after an internal memo from the intelligence division of the Manila Police District was leaked to the public.

“These terroristic moves to harass and threaten our leaders show the intensifying operations against our organization, which comes shortly after the police profiling of our members,” Basilio said. The police “should run after these vile people who terrorize our leaders and punish them according to our laws.”

Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Jane Elago said she would push for a congressional inquiry on the PNP’s profiling. She criticized the PNP for opening ACT members to risks such as illegal arrests and trumped-up charges.

Albayalde has defended the profiling of ACT members, adding it is part of their mandate as a law enforcement agency.

He said there is no provision in the Constitution or in the law that prohibits the PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines or other law enforcement agencies from gathering intelligence information.

Albayalde claimed they would not have conducted the profiling were it not for Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison admitting ACT is one of their legal front organizations. – With Janvic Mateo