MANILA, Philippines — Police had no reason to disperse a group giving away face masks, alcohol and fruits to students outside a Quezon City public school on Monday, Kabataan party-list said Wednesday as it disputed police attempts to link them to the incident.
In a statement, Kabataan said that it appreciated Salinlahi Alliance for Children's Concerns for giving away health kits at President Corazon Aquino Elementary School on Batasan Road but that it had no part in the activity. It said that it had planned and held a separate activity — a protest in front of the House of Representatives to call for more funding for schools — that day.
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The group added that it had members near the school for a separate activity but that they tried to de-escalate the situation.
"There is no legal basis, with or without permits, to conduct such a violent dispersal. This is just one of many cases that demonstrate how violence is initiated by uniformed personnel," the youth party-list said, comparing the incident to the arrests of relief volunteers during the pandemic lockdowns.
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"The fact that these relief workers also distribute educational materials and flyers that explain the pandemic situation and suggest solutions to the national government is a valuable public service, not a crime," it also said.
Kabataan said that it supports volunteer initiatives like Salinlahi's towards a safe school opening as well as other community projects. "We must allow and support the Bayanihan efforts of citizens to flourish," the party-list said, claiming government preparations were lacking.
"Kabataan party-list also demands the [Quezon City Police District] retract their statement falsely and negatively implicating Kabataan in Salinlahi's activity," it said, stressing public servants should not be involved in "propagating fake news just to escape accountability and public outrage."
The QCPD, which has erroneously linked Kabataan to the incident, said police had initially allowed the distribution activity but that the group "suddenly brought out streamers and placards and were about to hold a program right in front of the gate...causing disruption of the entry of parents and students, thereat resulting in long lines in the queuing."
Salinlahi has also disputed the police narrative, as it stressed that it had organized a peaceful distribution activity.
"The booth that Salinlahi put up was to the side of the school and it was clear that parents and their children gladly approached the booth to get fruits, face masks and alcohol," it said in a statement in Filipino.
It added that its call for a safe return to schools is valid. "There is nothing wrong in pushing the Department of Education and National government to lay down concrete programs and interventions to make sure learners and teachers can safely come back to school during a pandemic," the group also said.