LGBT protester slams cops for discrimination

MANILA, Philippines  — One of the LGBT protesters who were arrested by the Manila police on Friday for holding a rally against the anti-terror bill said she faced discrimination while in detention.

Rey Valmores-Salinas, spokesperson for the group Bahaghari, said the men and women were put in separate holding rooms at the Manila Police District (MPD) headquarters.

“I am a trans woman. So when the police designated our quarters, I experienced discrimination from the police officers who teased me about joining the other girls. They said outright that I am a male, I should be with the men, those kinds of comments and questions. In the end, we were able to convince them (to allow me with the girls), but that is not without any resistance,” Salinas told The STAR yesterday.

An ordinance against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGIE) in Manila is still pending before the city council, although Mayor Isko Moreno has vowed to support this.

Salinas said it was unfortunate they were arrested during Pride Month.

Salinas and 16 others underwent inquest proceedings yesterday before the Manila prosecutor’s office on charges of alleged illegal assembly and disobedience in relation to the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Concern Act.

Pending the prosecutor’s resolution, they will have to spend the weekend in detention.

Three others who are minors were turned over to the custody of Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas.

Countercharges

The arrested protesters denied disobeying the police, citing footage of the media coverage that showed the police in full anti-riot gear dispersing the crowd without being provoked.

The protesters also said they observed social distancing in the rally held at the Chino Roces Bridge on Friday.

The arresting police`officers also used the two vans of the protesters to drive them to the MPD headquarters.

Lawyer Minnie Lopez, who represents the group, collectively known as “Pride 20,” said countercharges of carnapping may be filed against the MPD.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) office in Metro Manila dispatched a team to investigate and document the dispersal and arrest of the protesters.

The CHR Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights Center condemned the incident and called for the release of those detained, citing their freedom of expression and right to air their grievances against the government. Janvic Mateo