Peasant leader Antonio Flores, activists from Southern Tagalog, and delegates of the Manilakbayan ng Mindanao filed a complaint against officials and members of the Quezon City Police District in connection with the violent dispersal of protesters during the November 29 protest action in front of Pres. Benigno Aquino’s residence in Times Street, Quezon City. The complaint was filed before the Commission on Human Rights on December 12, two days after the commemoration of International Human Rights Day on December 10.
Peasant leader Antonio Flores, activists from Southern Tagalog, and delegates of the Manilakbayan ng Mindanao filed a complaint against officials and members of the Quezon City Police District in connection with the violent dispersal of protesters during the November 29 protest action in front of Pres. Benigno Aquino’s residence in Times Street, Quezon City. The complaint was filed before the Commission on Human Rights on December 12, two days after the commemoration of International Human Rights Day on December 10.
In the complaint, the petitioners stated that the more than 200 peasants and Lumad from Mindanao, along with Hacienda Luisita farmworkers supporting them, held a peacefull march and a two-hour program in front of the Aquino residence. A tribal ritual was performed to dramatize the Mindanaoan’s disappointment as Aquino continued to be oblivious of their demand for justice on the killings of land rights and indigenous people’s rights activists.
The police illegally arrested Flores and detained him for four days on charges of direct assault and vandalism. The other complainants from Mindanao are Karapatan-North Cotabato coordinator Jayvee Apiag, who was hit on his right clavicle by QCPD Station 2 Commander P/Supt. Pedro Sanchez; Freddie del Rosario, photo journalist of Mindanao-based Kilab Multimedia; Harold Gerozaga, Jimson Bazar, Jade Azucena, Sanny Boy Gonzales, and Nelson Binongkasan. Bayan Muna members Joven Almazan, Jun Cristobal, Marvin Perez; Gabriela Women’s Party member Jocelyn Dealagdon; and Aaron Moises Bonette Piñon, leader of a group of gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals based in Quezon Province. All suffered injuries during the violent dispersal.
The complainants averred that P/Supt. Sanchez and the more than 16 members of the QCPD violated their constitutional rights and the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (UN ICCPR).
After the program at Times St., as protesters were leaving the police started hitting them, including those in the mini-truck such as Apiag and del Rosario. Both are members of the media. Apiag lost consciousness and was brought to the East Avenue Medical Center. The police also held six vehicles. Flores, secretary general of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, was accosted and brought to Camp Karingal.
“The right to peaceably assemble and to express legitimate call for BS Aquino to pull out the military troops in communities in Mindanao was met again with violence. Malacanang was quick to brand the legitimate protest action as “vandalism,” but it has not addressed the urgent issues of peasants and indigenous peoples in Mindanao squarely,” commented Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan.
The rights group and the National Union of People’s Lawyers assisted the victims in filing the complaint. “The violent dispersal of Manilakbayan reflects the disregard of human rights under the Aquino administration. The PNP should be made accountable for this,” Palabay concluded.