ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (PPAB)

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro shared a "scary" incident that she encountered on Wednesday night, Dec. 11 involving police officers in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) that could be interpreted as a “personal threat” due to her criticisms against the Dutertes.

Castro shared this matter during the House quad-committee (quad-comm) hearing on Thursday, Dec. 12.

“Ito po ay personal at collective privilege dahil may kinalaman po sa aking seguridad,” she said.

(This is a personal and collective privilege because it concerns my security.)

Castro noted that at around 11 p.m. Wednesday, while she was heading home from an event in BGC, she witnessed a police officer discharging his firearm.

“Meron pong pulis sa harap namin, police car, at merong dumaan na naka-motorbike sa harap namin hanggang sa lumabas po ‘yong pulis Mr. Chair, do’n sa mobile car, lumabas po ‘yong dalawang pulis, at hinabol po yong naka-motorbike at ‘yon pong naka-motorbike ay dumaan sa harap namin hanggang doon sa likod,” the congresswoman said.

(There was a police officer in front of us, a police car, and someone on a motorbike passed in front of us until the police officer, Mr. Chair, came out of the mobile car, two police officers came out, and they chased the person on the motorbike who passed in front of us and went to the back.)

“At nagulat po ako Mr. Chair pinaputukan ng pulis, ng isang pulis, ‘yong naka-motorbike. So hindi namin alam kung anong insidente ito, ano ba ‘tong mga naka-motorbike na ito. Talagang natakot po ako at hinila na lang po ako ng aking mga kasamahan at pinadapa, at pinayuko,” she added.

(And I was surprised, Mr. Chair, when one of the police officers shot at the person on the motorbike. So we didn't know what this incident was, who these people on the motorbike were. I was really scared, and my colleagues just pulled me down and made me lie down and duck.)

Castro, a member of the militant Makabayan bloc, denounced the incident as she questioned the reasoning behind firing shots amidst heavy traffic and civilians.

She recalled that a similar encounter happened to her six years ago in Talaingod, Davao del Norte, where a armed men "riding-in-tandem" fired shots at her vehicle.

“So sana po ay magkaroon tayo ng report, lalong-lalo na po dito sa station ng pulis na sumasakop po sa BGC, kung ito po ba ay legitimate operation, pero hindi po dapat nagpapaputok sa harap ng sibilyan,” said Castro.

(So hopefully, we can have a report, especially from the police station in BGC, to determine if this was a legitimate operation, but they should not be firing in front of civilians.)

If there will be no police report on the incident, then Castro said she will treat it as a “personal threat” against her security. 

“Alam niyo naman po, Mr. Chair, minsan na po akong pinagbantaan ng dating presidente Duterte at sa araw-araw na pagsasalita rin ng Vice president Sara Duterte ay ako ay sini-single out,” she explained.

(As you know, Mr. Chair, I have been threatened by former president Duterte before, and Vice President Sara Duterte singles me out in her daily statements.)

She said this incident could be a direct consequence of her criticisms of the two Dutertes before the quad-comm and the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.

ACT Teachers President and former congressman Antonio Tinio, in a statement, said the incident Castro encountered should not be dismissed lightly.

“Let’s not forget that Rep. Castro is the subject of ongoing threats and vilification, both by government forces such as the NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) and by others, including the Duterte camp,” he said.

Tinio demanded a thorough investigation from the Philippine National Police (PNP) over the matter, especially if the police operation was legitimate or a “form of intimidation”.

"Dapat tiyakin ang kaligtasan ng mga progresibong mambabatas, lalo na't patuloy ang red-tagging, mga banta ,at panggigipit sa kanila," he added.

(The safety of progressive lawmakers must be ensured, especially as red-tagging, threats, and harassment against them continue.)