DILG: Maximum tolerance at protest rallies

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has ordered the police to exercise maximum tolerance in handling all rallies protesting the recently concluded national and local elections.

The head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the Philippine National Police (PNP) must ensure public order as it exercises maximum tolerance against rallyists.

“My order to the PNP is to ensure public order at all times and to exercise maximum tolerance in handling rallies and demonstrations. People have freedom to express their sentiments and reactions, but they must be done within the bounds of law and order,” he said in a message sent to reporters yesterday.

The DILG chief urged protesters to file their complaints with proper authorities, particularly the Commission on Elections (Comelec), as they questioned the outcome of the national and local polls.

“The election last May 9 was peaceful and orderly; let us wait for the official proclamation of the winners. After that, we have to respect the voices of the majority and let us work together for the good of our country and people,” he said.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has warned Philippine universities not to encourage student-led “academic walkouts” to protest the recently concluded elections.

Esperon emphasized universities should not encourage students as this might be dangerous for them to join election-related protests.

“This is dangerous, you must also think of the future of the students. Why would you encourage them to walk out? They are in your universities to study. It is OK if they just show up for actions, but for them to walk out, you are ruining their future,” he said at the virtual Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum yesterday.

His comments came following student-led protests that were staged at the Comelec office in Manila questioning the results of the 2022 national and local elections.

The rallies were initiated mostly by student councils and student organizations, and not by universities.

Despite this, Esperon claimed that universities, particularly the University of the Philippines, is a breeding ground for activists and recruits for the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the New People’s Army (NPA).

He continued to claim that even Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University are also anti-administration.

“What is worse now is that you are providing the CPP and NPA and the NDF (National Democratic Front) renewed ranks of students that may now be vulnerable to recruitment. You have allowed your institutions to become breeding grounds for recruitment into the ranks of terrorists, NPA and the CPP-NDF,” he said.

Crackdown

Meanwhile, presidential candidate Manila Mayor Isko Moreno yesterday signed a memorandum ordering the police to crack down on demonstrations without permits that question the results of the presidential elections.

The Manila City Hall Public Information Office released Moreno’s memorandum ordering barangay officials and the Manila Police District to “strictly enforce” the Batas Pambansa 880 or the Public Assembly Act of 1985.

The Marcos-era law requires protesters to secure a written permit to hold an assembly in a public place. No permit is required if the protest will be held at a freedom park.

The law requires protesters to file the application for a permit with the city or municipal mayor at least five days before the assembly.

The law also requires police to exercise “maximum tolerance.”

“The campaign has ended, the election is finished. The people have decided. Now, we have to put things in order,” Moreno said in Filipino in a statement yesterday.

Moreno made the statement a day after he conceded defeat in the presidential elections and congratulated president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Former Anakpawis representative Ariel Casilao, however, reminded the mayor in a statement that Liwasang Bonifacio, where rallyists held an overnight vigil to protest the results of the elections, is a freedom park.

“Any moves by the police to forcibly disperse the protesters can only prove that the mayor is no different from the dictator Marcos, who did not recognize the rights of the citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” Casilao said in Filipino.

No disruption

Amid these developments, the Comelec yesterday appealed to those protesting the results of last Monday’s elections not to disrupt the ongoing canvassing of votes.

Comelec Commissioner George Garcia maintained that the commission is not angry nor against the protest rallies being mounted by some groups.

“The Comelec cannot be onion-skinned, that is why we deal with it. What is important if there is an allegation (is that) we must be able to explain because if we are not able to explain, something is wrong,” Garcia said in Filipino and English.

“The condemnation, the attack or criticism, I’ve been saying always, is welcome. We should accept them, because what is important is we are not disrupted in what we are doing, especially canvassing,” he added.

Garcia said the Comelec must proclaim the 12 winning senators before June 30.

At a press conference, acting Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco vouched anew for the integrity of the electoral process and the results of Monday’s polls.

Laudiangco said the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and other poll watch groups have stated that the results of the elections are consistent with the pre-election survey.

He added that even the OCTA Research Group raised no alarm or objection over the poll results.

The Manual Random Audit has already commenced, and it will validate the process, according to Laudiangco. – Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Mayen Jaymalin, Emmanuel Tupas, Sheila Crisostomo, Elizabeth Marcelo