Artists group declared persona non-grata in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila city council has declared progressive artists group Panday Sining as persona non grata for its protest art around the city.

Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuña announced the group’s status during the mayor’s capital report last Friday.

Manila Tourism and Cultural Affairs Bureau chief Charlie Duñgo said he hoped the resolution would serve as a lesson to keep the city of Manila free of vandalism.

“Let us give importance to the sense of order that is being done by the city government,“ Duñgo said.

In a statement, Anakbayan spokesman Alex Danday said this marks the first time an activist group is banned in Metro Manila.

He said the walls of Manila had always been painted with politicians’ tarpaulins, graffitti and billboards, and yet it is protest art that is targeted by City Hall for exposing societal ills.

This shows that the three Panday Sining members who painted protest art on the concrete posts of the LRT-1 last Nov. 30 were arrested for “expos(ing) government corruption and violence.”

The group claimed the three Panday Sining members had been illegally detained for over 100 hours at the Manila Police District (MPD) without charges, contrary to the 12-hour reglementary period.

“This harassment ­– the senseless persona non grata declaration, the gross violation of civil rights through illegal detention – these are all examples of human rights violations under the de facto martial law of the Duterte regime,” Danday said.

Panday Sining held a fundraising concert yesterday to raise bail for the release of their detained members.

Jeanne Quijano, 24; Joven Laura, 24; Mikhail Collado, 18 and a minor were arrested while they were on their way home from a Bonifacio Day protest in Manila.

They are students of De La Salle University and College of St. Benilde.

According to the MPD General Assignment and Investigation Section, the three underwent inquest proceedings before the Manila prosecutor’s office last Dec. 1 for malicious mischief, obstruction of justice, resisting arrest and violating the city’s anti-vandalism ordinance over their protest art painted on the LRT-1 posts along Recto Avenue.

The minor was released to the social worker’s office.

Mayor Isko Moreno had warned the group of charges after they painted protest art at an underpass and a public elementary school.