The Davao City Police Office has identified two militant Party-list Representatives whom they will be filing cases against for their role in Tuesday’s rally mounted by militant groups.
During the weekly AFP-PNP Southern Mindanao press conference at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday, Senior Inspector Maria Teresita Gaspan, spokesperson of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) said that they will be filling cases against Antonio Tinio, Representative of Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Teachers Party-list and Ariel Casilao, Representative of Anak Pawis Party-list.
“We are preparing cases against them and we are still determining the leaders of Kilusang Mayo Uno that organized the rally so we could also file cases against them,” Gaspan said.
She said that the Roxas rally incident violated the Republic Act 7610 also known as Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. She added that the Lasang road block incident that occurred on Monday was a violation of Batas Pambansa 880, also known as The Public Assembly Act of 1985.
“We need to file cases against them in order for this not to happen again in the city,” she said.
She said that DCPO’s city director, Senior Supt. Alexander Tagum directive duringthe rally was maximum tolerance in managing civil disturbance.Col. Nolasco Mempin, commander of Task Force Davao said after the rally some of the rallyists returned to their respective places but some stayed at the Iglesia Filipina Independiente , UCCP Haran and Brokenshire College Gymnasium.
Gaspan added that they continue to monitor these areas and to strengthen their coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.According to Capt. Jerry Lamosao, spokesperson of 10th Infantry Division, the militants can express their grievances in rallies but should go to the extent of violating the law.Mempin, said that the militant groups are trying to provoke the security forces in order to use it against the security forces by saying the security sector has violated the human rights and did not uphold the rule of law.
He said the security forces exercised maximum tolerance and maximum restraint.Chief Inspector Jason Baria, new spokesperson of Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 said that they will intensify their intelligence monitoring in order to prevent anyuntoward incidents.
