Members of the Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) on Thursday, Feb. 26, gathered at Mandaluyong City Police Station to denounce the alleged unjust arrest of two activists during the People Power anniversary protests in EDSA Ortigas on Feb. 25.

The group called for the immediate release of activists Three Odeña and Edel Parducho, who were subjected to inquest proceedings after being arrested during the protest and reportedly charged with direct assault and physical injury.

They claimed that the arrests were illegal and that police allegedly harassed protesters during the rally. They also alleged that the complaints filed against the activists were trumped-up.

“The trumped-up cases filed against them were mere pretenses to cover up police brutality enacted by the Eastern Police District to break up yesterday’s commemoration of the EDSA uprising in 1986,” the group said.

“Napakabilis ng kapulisan na dakpin at arestuhin ang mamamayang lumalaban lamang, pero ang mga kurakot, ang mga elitista, at mga dinastiyang patuloy na nagpapahirap sa ating lipunan, hindi naman nila magawang kasuhan, magawang arestuhin (The police are very quick to detain and arrest citizens who are merely fighting, but they are unable to charge or arrest corrupt officials, elites, and political dynasties who continue to make life difficult for our society),” they added.

They also carried signs with messages such as “Raliyista kulong pero kurap hindi (Protesters are jailed, but the corrupt are not),” “Ikulong ang kurap hindi ang mahihirap (Jail the corrupt, not the poor),” “Ikulong ang kurakot, hindi ang kabataan (Jail the corrupt, not the youth),” and “Palayain ang lahat ng inaresto sa rally (Release everyone arrested at the rally).”

Prior to the arrest, the group claimed that Odeña was peacefully documenting the attempts by the Philippine National Police to cut off their contingent from their march to Ortigas when an arresting officer suddenly shoved and pulled her hair multiple times before being forcefully arrested by the police.

“Before her arrest, the stationed police officers were already attempting to take away Three’s camera after she was seen taking pictures of the brutality unleashed by the police on the youth activists,” they added.

“The illegal arrest of Odeña and Parducho has provided today’s youth with a valuable insight that the EDSA uprising not only failed in liberating the country from systemic corruption, exploitation, and political dynasties, but it also revealed that the succeeding regimes, from Aquino to Marcos Jr. to conveniently utilize Marcosian strong arm tactics to quash dissidents,” they continued.

“We reiterate our call to immediately and unconditionally release Odeña and Parducho and for an independent and thorough investigation of the police units involved in yesterday’s violence,” they called.

Earlier, the EPD mentioned that a slight commotion occurred between some protesters and elements of the PNP. It said that it resulted in the arrest of several individuals and minor injuries to some police personnel, however, the situation was immediately pacified and brought under control.

“Law enforcement personnel exercised maximum tolerance while strictly adhering to established rules of engagement and crowd control protocols,” it said.

Meanwhile, Mandaluyong CPS Chief Col. Reynan V. Patam explained in a media interview that the arrested individuals were charged with violations of Article 148 (Direct Assault), Article 151 (Resistance and Disobedience to a Person in Authority or the Agents Thereof), Article 152 (Tumults and Other Disturbances of Public Order) of the Revised Penal Code, Batas Pambansa Blg. 880 (Public Assembly Act of 1985), and Physical Injury.