CHR: Use of water cannons on protesters uncalled for

MANILA, Philippines - The use of water cannons by policemen in dispersing protesters during the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July was uncalled for, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said.

“The CHR stands by its position that the use of water cannons violates the necessity and proportionality principles of the UN Standards on the use of force during law enforcement operations,” said Marc Titus Cebreros, chief of the CHR’s information and communication division, in a recent dialogue with concerned groups.

Cebreros pointed that Batas Pambansa 880 or the Public Assembly Act provides authority to the clause on freedom of assembly as stated in the Constitution.

“The principal role of the state is to respect, protect and fulfill the right to freedom of assembly. Under BP 880, violators of this law shall be sanctioned accordingly, in order to exercise balance of rights and responsibilities of citizens on one hand, and the national security, general welfare, state obligations and accountability on the other,” he said.

The CHR earlier sought the explanation of police officials responsible for crowd control at the SONA. The police reportedly used four fire trucks to ward off protesters with red-dyed water.

CHR said the tactic was “unnecessary for a self-contained and manageable mass action.”

Among those drenched during the dispersal was CHR-National Capital Regional director Gilbert Boiser, who was monitoring the rally.