Militants back Noy heckler

MANILA, Philippines - Militants have expressed full support for student activist Pio Emmanuel Mijares who heckled President Aquino in the middle of his Independence Day speech in Naga City last Thursday.

“We stand in solidarity with Emmanuel Mijares who dared to speak truth to power,” Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary-general Renato Reyes said.

Mijares, a 4th year BS Psychology student of Ateneo de Naga, was arrested after he interrupted the President’s speech in Naga City during the Independence Day celebrations.

The President had just started delivering his speech when Mijares shouted, “There is nothing new in the Aquino administration, down with this administration!” as he waved a banner calling for the ouster of Aquino and the freeing of all political prisoners and scrapping of the pork barrel fund.

Operatives of the Presidential Security Group immediately moved in and subdued Mijares.

Police said Mijares went too far in his protest. Mijares was charged with disturbing public order under Article 153 of the Revised Penal Code.

He was required to post a bail of P8,000 for his temporary liberty.

Reyes said Mijares’ arrest showed the Aquino government’s intolerance of criticism.

“Ironic too that it happened during Araw ng Kalayaan. Mijares showed that patriotism is not dead nor outdated,” he said.

Bayan said Mijares is not the first student to heckle a president.

“Others were not jailed as far as I know, even during the Arroyo administration. Mijares’ arrest really highlights intolerance and exposes Aquino’s democracy rhetoric as sheer hypocrisy,” Reyes said.