FOUR persons on board a jeepney were arrested while allegedly on their way to join the protest action at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman campus in Quezon City on Monday, July 27, 2020.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Debold Sinas said a Piston flag was draped at the side of the vehicle. Piston is a militant organization of jeepney drivers.
Sinas said the arrested persons were immediately brought to the Quezon City Police District headquarters in Camp Karingal.
"Kanina papunta dito 'yung tropa natin, may isang jeep, may flag... diyan sa may Circle papunta yata dito, so nahuli. Anyway, apat na tao tapos hindi na tinatanong, dinala na sa Karingal," Sinas said.
"As to what happened to that, bahala na 'yung investigator namin sa Karingal," he added.
Sinas said investigators were determining the charges that should be filed against the arrested persons.
Traditional public utility jeepneys are still not allowed on the streets in Metro Manila, which is under general community quarantine.
"Unang-una bawal 'yung jeep. By all means, bawal 'yung jeep. Kung sabihin nila, social distancing, mayroon naman pasahero na apat lang," he said.
Due to the prohibition on mass gatherings due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, local government units did not issue permits for the conduct of protest actions in public places.
In Metro Manila, a protest action will be held inside the UP Diliman campus.
Sinas earlier said protesters who will conduct programs in prohibited areas will be warned initially but they will be arrested should they refuse to heed to the orders of the police.
"Anybody na magplano na magrally, magprotesta sa Commonwealth Avenue ay pagsabihan na umalis, pag hindi huli agad. Now, gagamitin natin 'yung BJMP mobile detention, pag nahuli 'yan sila, derecho sila sa Karingal, doon po sila lahat dadalhin," Sinas said.
At least 6,000 police personnel have been deployed for the maintenance of peace and order during the SONA especially in Quezon City.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Archie Gamboa said they also requested personnel from the Quezon City local government to impose fines on violators.
"But of course alam naman natin that under the Quezon City ordinance I think P1,000 or P1,500 ang fine and so on for 1st offender, 2nd and 3rd. I think only when you are a third time offender already I think that is the time you will be charged against RA 11332," he said. (VoxPop Philippines)