Bayan vows to assert right to rally on SONA, to sue cops who will stop protesters

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said Thursday, July 21, that it will assert its right to conduct a “peaceful assembly” during the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 25.

The progressive group made the statement after its request to hold a protest rally on Batasan Road in Quezon City was rejected by the local government.

“We will assert our right to peaceful assembly and will file charges against police officers who will arrest and harm peaceful protesters. Peaceful protesters, even those without a permit, cannot be arrested. On many occasions, prosecutors and judges have dismissed the “illegal assembly” raps filed by the PNP (Philippine National Police). None prosper because these have no basis,” the group said in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Upon the Quezon City Police District’s (QCPD’s) recommendation, the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) on July 19, denied Bayan’s application to hold the mass gathering on Batasan Road, saying that the area they requested is not a “freedom park” and their activity will greatly affect the traffic flow along the thoroughfare.

The group has denounced the local government’s decision, saying that the “copy-paste” denial of the DPOS violates the law and constitutional rights, and follows the “facist imposition” of the police.

“Wala sa lugar ang denial ng permit. Ang mga basis na ginamit to deny ay mali (The denial of permit is out of place. The basis used to deny the request are wrong),” BAYAN’s campaign director Obet De Castro told Manila Bulletin on Thursday.

The group said that both the DPOS and PNP cannot invoke traffic inconvenience as a basis to deny its request as Batas Pambansa 880 states that a permit can only be denied if there is a ”convincing evidence of a clear and present danger” to the public.

It added that heavy traffic does not constitute clear and present danger.

“Tuloy ang rally sa Lunes. Gagawin namin ito ayon sa itinatadhana ng Saligang Batas. Sa mga nagdaan, hindi sa mga nagra-rally nagmumula ang kaguluhan kundi sa mga pulis. Ngayon pa lang lumilikha na sila ng pananakot at pagbabanta sa mga sasali (The rally will be held on Monday. We will do so as provided by the Constitution. In the past, the disorder did not come from the protesters but from the police. As early as now, they are creating intimidation and threats to those who will participate,” De Castro said.

The group is yet to confirm if the protest rally will still be held on Batasan Road on Monday.

Read more: https://mb.com.ph/2022/07/21/qc-govt-denies-groups-request-to-stage-rally-in-batasan-road/