Marikina mayor orders release of 10 relief workers
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:41 p.m.) — Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro directed the release of 10 volunteer relief workers who were arrested earlier Friday.
In a statement, Teodoro said in Filipino: "The Philippine National Police overreacted. They should not have arrested [them] because they were not doing anything wrong."
While the workers may have brought placard, the Marikina mayor said that "it is part of their exercising of their constitutional right of freedom of expression," noting that they were also manning the community kitchen on Labor Day.
He also noted that the relief operation “strictly observed social distancing, and is in compliance with the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act
“I am telling our police that they have no case against these people,” Teodoro added
Gabriela Women’s Party slammed the “illegal arrest and detention” of its volunteer relief workers who were nabbed by police while “conducting a community feeding program in Barangay IVC, Marikina City.”
Those arrested are workers of #BayanihangMarikenyaMarikenyo and Lingap Gabriela including Dimple Paz and Batibot Learning Center teachers Lita Malundras and Ronel Artizuela. Seven Public Utility Vehicle drivers were also arrested.
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— Gabriela Women's Party (@GabrielaWomenPL) May 1, 2020
Volunteers of #BayanihangMarikenyaMarikenyo were arrested today, including Lingap Gabriela Dimple Paz, Batibot Learning Center teachers Lita Malundras & Nel Artizuela, and 7 PuV drivers while conducting a community feeding program in Marikina City. pic.twitter.com/JdXcrBoFWH
“Our volunteers in Marikina have been giving aid to our countrymen through a community kitchen for more than a month,” Rep. Arlene Brosas (Gabriela party-list) said in Filipino.
“Since when did bayanihan become a crime?” she added.
Gabriela called for the immediate release of their volunteers.
“The unlawful arrest of 10 relief workers is a powerful illustration of the Duterte administration is using the pandemic and the [Enhanced Community Quarantine] suppress dissent and violate civil liberties and basic human rights,” it added.
Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, Philippine National Police spokesperson, told Philstar.com that they are waiting for a report from the National Capital Region Police Office on the reported arrest.
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ACT condemns ‘harassment’ of teacher-leaders in Quezon City
On the same day, about 50 police forces and state agents in plain clothes reportedly flagged and cordoned the vehicle of teacher-leaders who were on their way to hand out food packs and masks to frontliners along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City.
ACT for People’s Health, in a statement denounced “the undue harassment and obstruction of the humanitarian activity our teacher-leaders experienced in the hands of police forces and ID-less state agents.”
ACT for People’s Health said they are working as a teacher-initiated effort to show solidarity and deliver assistance to frontliners and poor communities.
The group said the agents did not identify themselves but went on to confiscate the license of their driver “and maliciously and falsely accused him of being seen at San Roque last night.”
ACT said their team were told to alight the vehicle and show permit of their activity, which they complied with. They were stalled for 30 minutes, and “the operatives could not hold the team any longer as no violation can be found.”
“The overbearing and adversarial stance and conduct of the government forces in the incident exposes the unwarranted and unnecessary militarist approach of the government to the COVID-19 crisis,” they said.
Last April 6, urban poor alliance Save San Roque said over 15 PNP members raided community kitchens for Sitio San Roque in Quezon City residents and tore down protest materials,.
Quezon City Police District said in a statement then: “After a dialogue with the group of Bagaspas, the QCPD requested them to remove their protest placards which they voluntarily submitted to and reminded them to observe social or physical distancing.” — Kristine Joy Patag
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