PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa on Thursday, April 30, warned that activists who will stage mass protests in observance of Labor Day on May 1 will be arrested.
Gamboa said they were aware of the plans of militant groups to hold mass actions in several venues on Friday.
"Much as we respect their right to peaceably assemble, out of the exigency of the health crisis situation, we beg to discourage them from pursuing these plans for their own safety and in the best interest of public health," Gamboa said in a virtual press conference.
He reminded the public that pursuant to the ECQ guidelines, policemen may arrest persons who will conduct mass gatherings.
He said that arrests, detention, fines, and other penalties for violating ECQ rules are imposed to hold violators accountable.
Mass gatherings are prohibited under the guidelines of the ECQ and the general community quarantine (GCQ).
Gamboa said observance of the Labor Day should instead be made online.
Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar, Joint Task Force Covid Shield commander and PNP deputy chief for operations, said labor organizations should instead focus their efforts on coming up with health protection-related strategic plans to help workers prepare themselves for the "new normal" situation once the ECQ is lifted.
"We fully understand that it is the labor sector which was severely affected by the government's strict measures against coronavirus infection. Everyday, we see news reports and social media posts about how the quarantine affected the life of the ordinary workers and their family because their workplaces were forced to either limit or shut down the business operations," Eleazar said.
He said taking labor matters to the streets in this time of Covid-19 pandemic will diminish the essence of the ECQ and may worsen the situation of the frontliners especially the health workers.
"The national government, under the leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, is doing everything it could to assist the affected workers and to lay down the groundwork for our workers to earn for themselves again," Eleazar said.
He, however, recognized the dedication and determination showed by Filipino workers under the current situation and thanked those who continue to work to deliver basic goods and services to people under the current global pandemic. (VoxPop Philippines)