Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said on Thursday, Aug. 24, that the city police filed charges against 14 officials of various progressive groups who allegedly staged a rally without the necessary permits during President Marcos' second State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 24.
The city police filed the Section 13 (Dispersal of Public Assembly without Permit) under Batas Pambansa Blg. 880 or The Public Assembly Act of 1985 charges against the individuals at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on Aug. 22.
The QCPD identified the individuals who were charged as Felix “Ka Jhun Pascua” Pascua Jr., spokesperson of Kilusan Para sa Pambansang Demokrasya; Palo “Ka Pabs” Rosales, national chairperson of PANGISDA, Pilipinas; Larry Mallorca, union president of Philfoods; Luchell Felix, spokesperson of UMENTO, Southern Tagalog; Jaysie Balunga of SUGAR-Batangas; Miguel Portea of Southern Tagalog Regional Transport Organization-PISTON; and Mario Fernandez, President of Olalia, KMU.
Also charged were Kenneth Rementilla of ANAKBAYAN Southern Tagalog; Charm Maranan of DEFEND Southern Tagalog; Jasmin Rubia of Mothers and Children for the Protection of Human Rights (MCPHR); Orly Marcellana, Leader, Tanggol Magsasaka (CFO 4-A); John Peter Angelo Garcia, Chairperson, Youth Advocates for Peace with Justice (YAPJUST); Jemme Mia Antonio, spokesperson, Liga ng Mangagawa Southern Tagalog; and Kyle Angelo Salgado, spokesperson, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Southern Tagalog.
The QCPD said the charges were filed following the investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) under Maj. Don Don Llapitan, and verification from the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) which revealed that no permit to conduct rally was issued to any groups or the named persons based on the letter signed by the DPOS head retired Gen. Elmo San Diego, on Aug. 14, 2023.
“It seems that even QCPD Director Torre does not believe in Marcos Jr's "Bagong Pilipinas" slogan, using antiquated BP880 clauses against activists. Even more so with using people's resources to impinge constitutional rights and freedom of expression,” Kyle Angelo Salgado, BAYAN Southern Tagalog spokesperson said.
“This does not change the fact that the people are still writhing in hunger from soaring commodity prices. State forces exercise impunity in killings of critics and civilians. So we say: In the courts and the streets, the fight continues!,” he added.
BAYAN campaign director Obet de Castro told Manila Bulletin that they have a permit to conduct the rally on SONA day and it was properly coordinated with authorities.
Torre III had earlier said that that the President’s second SONA was generally peaceful as no untoward incident happened even when protesters staged rallies along Commonwealth Avenue.
Around 12,000 protesters and members of pro-administration groups gathered on Commonwealth Avenue during the SONA, held at the Batasang Pambansa Complex, to express their grievances or support to the president and the national government.