DAVAO CITY – The Office of the Student Regent of the University of the Philippines condemned the “violence, disrespect, and abuse of law” allegedly committed by law enforcers after its student delegates were flagged down on Wednesday morning, August 16, while enroute to the venue of a protest action at Freedom Park on Roxas Ave., this city.
Some 173 delegates composed of student council leaders and student journalists from the different campuses of the University of the Philippines System have converged for the 55th General Assembly of Student Councils from August 17 to 19 at the UP-Mindanao here.
Siegfred Severino said in a statement that the Traffic Enforcement Unit of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) allegedly hurled abusive remarks against him and other student delegates and even threatened with “physical violence” those who were trying to negotiate with authorities.
Severino lamented how UP Student Council leaders encountered “violence and harassment from the State forces who were hell-bent in preventing us from exercising our rights” of organization and free expression at the freedom park.
Police Capt. Hazel Tuazon, DCPO spokesperson, said that eight public utility jeepneys with students onboard were flagged down at the Bypass Road in Ulas and were later impounded at the Land Transportation Office-Davao in Barangay Tugbok, this city.
She said that seven units were intercepted for allegedly being “out of line” in violation of the Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code and one seized for being a “colorum.”
Himati, UP-Mindanao official student publication, reported that the units were impounded as of 10:30 a.m.
Delegates, however, staged a rally back at the UP-Mindanao campus, according to the student publication.
It said that the GASC “is a bi-annual gathering of student councils all over the UP system to discuss, debate and resolve campus, system, and national issues. This GASC will also hold the selection of the 40th student regent of the University.”
Tuazon said that delegates were not harassed during the operation, which was jointly conducted by the DCPO Traffic Enforcement Unit, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Davao, and LTO-Davao.
She said that authorities chanced upon the convoy of vehicles.