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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Fishers' group warns Remulla of using 'Anti-Terror Law' vs anti-corruption protesters

Fishers' group warns Remulla of using 'Anti-Terror Law' vs anti-corruption protesters

Published Sep 23, 2025 05:28 pm
TAKING A STAND—Actor Donny Pangilinan joins the Trillion Peso March on Sunday, Sept. 21, walking with the public along EDSA while carrying a placard that read: “IBALIK NIYO ANG PERA NG TAUMBAYAN.” The demonstrators, mostly clad in white, called for transparency and accountability from individuals and institutions allegedly involved in ‘anomalous’ government projects. (JEL SANTOS/MB PHOTO)
TAKING A STAND—Actor Donny Pangilinan joins the Trillion Peso March on Sunday, Sept. 21, walking with the public along EDSA while carrying a placard that read: “IBALIK NIYO ANG PERA NG TAUMBAYAN.” The demonstrators, mostly clad in white, called for transparency and accountability from individuals and institutions allegedly involved in ‘anomalous’ government projects. (JEL SANTOS/MB PHOTO)
Progressive fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Tuesday, Sept. 23, warned Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla against charging detained anti-corruption protesters under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, stressing its “danger” to freedom of speech and democratic rights.
“This is the danger of the Anti-Terrorism Act; it can be arbitrarily used against anyone exercising their right to express their grievances against the government. It might be easy for Secretary Remulla to just classify the September 21 protest as an act of terrorism, while being oblivious of the accumulated anger of the poor from the life-long poverty, hunger, lack of opportunity, human rights violations, and injustice,” Fernando Hicap, the chairperson of Pamalakaya, said in a statement.
The fishers’ group noted that more than 200 anti-corruption protesters were arrested by the police on Sept. 21, as various progressive groups and individuals demanded accountability over alleged massive corruption, coinciding with the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law.
Pamalakaya urged the government to free all detained protesters and instead prosecute officials allegedly involved in anomalies tied to flood-control projects.
“Dapat panagutin at ikulong ang lahat ng opisyal ng pamahalaan na sangkot sa pandarambong ng kaban ng bayan, hindi ang mga ordinaryong tao na malaon nang biktima ng korapsyon at nananawagan ng hustisya (Every single government official involved in the plunder of public funds must be held accountable and jailed, not ordinary people who have long been victims of corruption and are merely calling for justice),” Hicap said.
Remulla earlier said that the police are considering filing “terrorism charges” against those arrested in the Mendiola protest under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
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