PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa on Tuesday, June 9, urged the public to consider other ways of staging protest actions instead of a street rally because of the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Gamboa issued the appeal ahead of the planned protest actions to mark Independence Day on Friday, June 12.
"Ngayon kasi, in a situation na mayroon tayong pandemic, there is an added demand from the public which is actually the requirement of less mass gathering and social distancing," he said in a televised press briefing.
"Openly nga sinabi ko, kung puwede sana, I mean 'yung right to express your own opinion can be done in some other ways. Huwag naman sana itong mass gathering kasi nga may inoobserba tayong pandemic," he added.
Activists are planning a protest rally, which they have dubbed as a mañanita after the birthday celebration that National Capital Region Police Office personnel held for Major General Debold Sinas in violation of quarantine protocols.
A Facebook post by the Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (Contend) announces a protest action at 10:30 a.m. on June 12 in the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman. Unauthorized police and military presence Is prohibited within UP premises.
Gamboa blamed some protesters for provoking the police.
"Inuudyok pa nila 'yung pulis. They really try the tolerance of the police. To some extent kung sobra na rin talaga ginagawa nila, which is already tantamount to disobedience, that's why we cause the arrest of these people," he said.
On June 5, police arrested seven activists and a bystander at UP Cebu for allegedly violating quarantine protocols. The activists were part of a group of about 30 people who were voicing out protests against the anti-terrorism bill.
The eight individuals who were arrested included UP students and alumni. They were released on Monday, June 8, after more than 48 hours in detention.
On June 2, six jeepney drivers were arrested for staging a protest against the government policy not to allow jeepneys to resume operations yet. Four have been released. (VoxPop Philippines)