MILITANT groups in Northern Mindanao condemned the violent dispersal of protesters outside the US embassy in Manila last Wednesday, October 18, that injured several rallyists.
The injured protesters included two members of Anakbayan in Bukidnon and in Cagayan de Oro City.
The police also arrested two other female minor lumads from San Fernando, Bukidnon.
Two other members of Anakbayan were hurt in the dispersal identified as Tata Noay and Roseann Cailing, both 18 years old and residents of Cagayan de Oro City and Maramag, Bukidnon, respectively.
During the indignation rally at Divisoria, Cagayan de Oro City Thursday afternoon, militant groups called on the government to act and hold the police criminally liable for what the group calls a brutal attack on protesters.
"Ang duha ka minor biktima ni Butchoy Salusad sa San Fernando Bukidnon biktima nga samaron na daan sa Bukidnon ug biktima pud sa illegal nga pag-aresto ug harrasment pag abot sa Manila," Vennel Chenfoo, Kabataan partylist Northern Mindanao Secretary General, said.
"Gidakop matod pa sila kay gusto ipalabas sa police nga walay hanaw ang mga bata sa ilang gitambongan pero nakatubag man ang mga bata dihang gipangutanan sila mao wala na sila kuti-kutiha," Chenfoo added.
Chenfoo said the lumads and the Moro held a legitimate protest action against Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca), US Counter Insurgency Oplan Bayanihan and the militarization of the indigenous people's lands in provinces, yet the police responded violence.
Tension flared when the police fired teargas and water cannon on the rallyists while several others were injured after a police vehicle attacked and hit them.
"Brutal kadto nga atake sa kapolisan sa nasudnong minorya dihang ilang gi-teargas, gi-water cannon ug giligsan kung asa deliberate nga pag-igo sa mga protesters gawas sa US embassy," Chenfoo said.
Chenfoo asserted that the police responsible in the attacks should be charged criminally and put behind bars, not just relieving them from their respective posts.
"Ang maong brutal nga dispersal nagapakita unsa ka gamhanan ang Estados Unidos, nga kung aha pati ang kaugalingong kapolisan sa nasod kayo niini ma-diktahan aron depensahan ang ilang embahada. Mas ipalanong namo ang panawagan sa pagpahawa sa Estados Unidos nga hantud karon ga-domina sa atoang ekonomiya, pulitika, kultura ug militar," Chenfoo added.
In a statement, Northern Mindanao Police spokesperson Surki Sereñas said "it has never been a policy of the Philippine National Police to inflict injury, neither does it allow violence and use of excessive force in its undertakings and police operations."
Serenas said the incident should be investigated and serve justice to those who are inflicted.
"We are saddened at the thought that a policeman figured in an unfortunate incident involving protesters being rammed and injured. We hope that appropriate cases be filed against the personnel responsible for this unfortunate event," Sereñas said.
