Despite ban issued by the government, protest actions will push through for President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address, an activist group said Sunday.
“Hindi maaaring gamitin ang IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) guidelines para balewalain ang ating constitutional rights. Kakasuhan namin ang mga pulis na makikialam o manggugulo sa mga mapayapang pagtitipon bukas,” Renato Reyes Jr., secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) said.
[Government can’t use IATF guidelines to brush off our constitutional rights. We’ll file charges against policemen who will sow trouble in our peaceful gathering tomorrow.]
Protesters will observe health protocols such as wearing face masks and observing physical distancing at the SONAgKAISA which will be held in UP Diliman in Quezon City, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon
Reyes also stressed how protestors are much safer than the locally-stranded individuals gathered in the Rizal Coliseum, which are organized by the government.
“Mas maayos pa ang physical distancing ng mga nasa rally kesa sa ginagawa ng gobyerno sa mga kawawa nating kababayan sa Rizal Coliseum.”
(Our physical distancing measures are better than government’s implementation at the Rizal Coliseum.)
The Department of the Interior and Local Government appealed to protest organizers “not to compromise the health and welfare of the people” reminding them that any kind of mass gathering during a pandemic represents “a high risk” of virus transmission.
Police will implement maximum tolerance on protesters, said Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar of the Joint Task Force against COVID-19.
“Nakahanda na po ang ating kapulisan. Nagbigay ng direktiba ang ating chief PNP para dun sa maximum tolerance, even though talagang may guidelines na ipinatutupad ngayon,” he said.
[Our policemen are prepared. Our chief PNP has given directives on implementing maximum tolerance even though there are guidelines being enforced right now.]
