OUTRAGE

By CONG B. CORRALES
Associate Editor
SHIELA MAE BUTLIG
and NICOLE MANAGBANAG
Correspondents

VARIOUS organizations and counterparts of activists who were brutally dispersed in front of the US Embassy on Wednesday afternoon took to the streets here yesterday to express their indignation over the violence-marred demonstration in Manila.

Led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, activists here staged an indignation rally at the Magsaysay Park in Divisoria, this city, yesterday afternoon.

Vennel Chenfoo, Kabataan partylist coordinator for northern Mindanao, said they condemned in the strongest terms the violent dispersal on Wednesday, adding that the police unit responsible must be held accountable.

“Iresponsable ang command sa police commander nga suklan ang mga raliyesta. Iresponsable pud ang gihimo sa police driver nga morag nag-bulldoze sa mga raliyesta,” Chenfoo said.

Chenfoo said some 300 indigenes and Moros composed the northern Mindanao contingent for the rally on Wednesday.

For his part, Jomorito Goaynon, chairperson of northern Mindanao lumad group Kalumbay, had only one word to describe the dispersal on Wednesday: brutal. Goaynon was one of the demonstrators in front of the US Embassy.

According to Goaynon, they were there to stage a protest to call for the abrogation of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca). They also demanded the trashing of mining concessions and agricultural plantations that are all allegedly backed by the US.

“Maski ako naigo ko sa batuta sa akong bukton,” said Goaynon. He was also among those who were sideswiped by the police van.

Goaynon said five of the demonstrators from northern Mindanao were arrested.

“Dili lang ni physical injury, naglapas sila sa among katungod. Ang ilang tumong ug tuyo pamatyon mi. Mao nang magpahamtang mi’g kaso nga murder, ga-studyohan pa kini sa among abogado karon,” Goaynon said.

The police in northern Mindanao was also saddened over the violence.

Camp Alagar spokesman Supt. Surki Sereñas said it has never been the policy of the National Police to inflict injury on anyone. Neither does it allow violence and use of excessive force in all its undertakings and police operations, he added.

Sereñas said he felt bad watching what he called as an “unacceptable action of that policeman.” He was referring to PO3 Franklin Kho who drove the police van and ploughed through the protesters.

“We hope that appropriate cases will be filed against the personnel responsible for this unfortunate event,” he said.

He said the National Police is currently investigating the violent dispersal.