Police mull case against protesters

The Cebu City Police Office is contemplating filing charges against the anti-government protesters at the Malacañang sa Sugbu last Wednesday following a clash that left several policemen and firemen injured.

The CCPO is also bent to file charges against those protesters who brought along their children to the rally.

CCPO director Melvin Gayotin yesterday said that he already ordered the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Branch to coordinate with Family Juvenile and Gender Section, which is headed by Insp. Norma Corbo, to prepare the appropriate cases against the protesters.

He said the CIIB would be tasked to identify those who threw stones at the two firemen, two policemen and a Philippine Airforce member who were injured in the clash.

Corbo's office was also tasked to identify the parents of the two children who were brought to the rally so separate case will be filed against them.

Militant groups who clashed with the police during their rally in front of Malacañang sa Sugbu said no kids were hurt during the incident.

"We want to clarify that no child was hurt because we immediately secured them. They were affected by tear gas," said Glemmar Bacusmo, press relation officer of Gloria Step down Movement.

He denied that it was the protesters who threw stones at the authorities that eventually led to a melee. Some 10 protesters were hurt when they clashed with government troops while they tried to force their way into the Malacañang sa Sugbo.

Bacusmo said that somebody from inside the compound of the Malacañang sa Sugbo building threw a stone and hit one of their members, which prompted them to retaliate.

Just last week, former Department of Social Welfare and Development secretary Dinky Soliman issued a warning banning kids from joining rallies because these expose them to danger. She issued the warning amid mounting protests to oust President Gloria Arroyo.

She said that having children join protests is a kind of child exploitation for political reason because they are "exposed to the elements and street dangers is tantamount to abuse and exploitation".

Soliman added that aside from endangering the lives of the children, it is also unreasonable to involve youngsters in political rallies because they still do not understand issues behind the mass movements.