National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin maintained that the 51 individuals his unit apprehended during a rally on Monday had ‘committed violations.’
The arrests came during a rally mounted by progressive and militant groups along Commonwealth Avenue ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona).
‘The arrests by our police officers were because those arrested committed violations of the law like vandalizing walls, wearing balaclavas and, of course, holding a rally without the proper permit,’ Aberin told reporters in an interview early Monday night.
‘There will be a process. We will file the cases with the fiscal. There, we will see whether the arrests were legal or not,’ he added.
Although Aberin did not immediately cite the laws allegedly violated, a local ordinance in the City of Manila prohibits the wearing of balaclavas inside establishments, but the protest in question was in Quezon City.
Further, Batas Pambansa No. 880 states that public assemblies must first be approved by their respective local government if set in a location other than a freedom park.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier said only the groups Better Brighter Movement, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and Sanlakas had been given permits by the local government.
Aberin noted that 45 of the 51 arrested were now in the custody of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), while six others were still undergoing investigation at the Batasan Police Station. He did not immediately identify them.
However, the group Vandals United previously identified 13 of the arrested individuals as minors and three more as paralegals.
The NCRPO chief also alleged that one of the arrested individuals had punched a police captain during the commotion on Monday morning.
‘If ever one of those whom we accosted turned out to be the one who punched them, they will face an additional case for direct assault,’ Aberin explained.
He further maintained that the police were now looking into whether any of the arrested individuals were among the same group of people arrested during the September 21 riots in Manila last year, where hundreds were apprehended and at least two reportedly died.
‘Their appearance. They wore black. They covered their faces,’ Aberin said.
‘Now, if that’s how you’ll present yourself at a rally, why cover your face and vandalize walls? So, from there, we can see a violation’s been committed,’ he added.
‘Right to express protest through graffiti’
A video shared by the QCPD to reporters showed the individuals allegedly spray-painting the walls of a Manila Electric Company (Meralco) substation near the corner of Commonwealth Avenue northbound and Tandang Sora Avenue.
For its part, in a statement earlier on Monday, Bayan denounced the arrests.
‘It sets a bad, dangerous precedent. They conducted the arrest in the middle of the protest. Even police protocols and the law prohibit it,’ Bayan secretary-general Mong Palatino said in a statement.
‘They call it vandalism, [but] our youth have every right to express protest through graffiti. The reported graffiti ‘Meralco Sindikato’ (Translation: The Manila Electric Company is a syndicate) is [a] message that reflects public outrage. We demand [the] immediate release of the 51 young activists,’ he added.
Vandals United likewise condemned the arrests.
‘The police and local government have long targeted the youth, the poor and the ordinary citizens just because they can. This is only one proof that the police can only be bold and violence to the everyday Filipino,’ it stressed.