Although there are no information on impending protests or rallies during the inauguration of Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio on June 19, 2022, Police Regional Office 11 (PRO-11) director Police Brigade General Benjamin H. Silo Jr. reminded the progressive groups to hold their activity in the designated rally area, which is at the Freedom Park along Roxas Avenue, Davao City.
Freedom Park is the designated place where rallyists can conduct protest without securing a permit.
He said if protesters opted to stage a rally in other areas of Davao City, they must secure a permit from the city government of Davao by complying the requirements that include informing the city for the time and date of their activities.
He also said that rallyists must ensure that their activity will not affect the traffic.
“Complying with these three requirements the government, security forces will respect yung rights nila to assemble to that particular area. They should secure a permit kung mag-conduct sila na hindi gagawin sa Freedom Park,” he said.
This will also comply Section 15 of the Batas Pambansa BLG. 880 or an act ensuring the free exercise by the people of their right peaceably to assemble and petition the government for other purposes mandates that every city and municipality must designate at least one suitable “freedom park” or mall in their respective jurisdictions which as far as practicable shall be centrally located within the poblacion where demonstration and meetings may be held anytime without the need of any prior permit.
In November 2018, the City Council of Davao passed an ordinance “prohibiting any act that impedes or obstructs the free flow of traffic along public streets and highways such as unauthorized road closures, setting up of barricades, stalling of vehicles, concerted group activities, or other similar acts.”
The ordinance also covers the staging of rallies.
