Raps filed vs Manila Police Department chief

MANILA, Philippines - More than two dozen members of the women’s group Gabriela filed physical injury, abuse of authority and violation of human rights charges against the Manila Police Department yesterday in relation to a violent dispersal of a rally along U.N. Avenue near Roxas Boulevard last week.

Some 30 of the organization’s members claimed they were physically attacked by policemen with truncheons and metal shields on March 25. In their complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, Gabriela members led by Joan May Salvador, Cristina Palabay, Nere Guerrero and Sophia Garduce said some 300 of them were marching along U.N. Avenue toward Roxas Boulevard when they were blocked.

The group said they tried to talk and negotiate with Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales but were told “Walang Nego! Tulak!” (No negotiation! Push!)

The complainants said some 50 MPD policemen hit them with truncheons and pushed their members with metal shields despite their claim that none of them provoked a clash. They said Gabriela was exercising its right to peaceful assembly as they were going to voice out their opposition to the government’s failure to follow a Supreme Court order on the issue of Lance Corporal Daniel Smith’s custody.

Gabriela was among the women’s organizations who supported Filipina rape victim Nicole and her legal battle against the US soldier at the Makati City regional trial court. Providing the Office of the Ombudsman some photographs of the alleged violent dispersal unnecessarily carried out by the MPD, the group said their right to peaceful assembly and free speech was violated.

“This attack on our civil liberties must be stopped. We are doing this in defense of the basic freedom and civil liberties of Filipinos,” said Salvador.