Over 200 arrested in Sucat protest to face charges -- PNP

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More than 200 individuals arrested during a protest at Sucat People's Park in Muntinlupa City on Sunday will face charges, Southern Police District (SPD) Director Police Brig. Gen. Rodel Pastor said.

In a Super Radyo dzBB report by Sam Nielsen, the arrested protesters, who were members of the group Lakbayan ng Timog Katagalugan, were loaded onto three Philippine National Police (PNP) trucks.

“Lahat po sila ay kakasuhan. Nagkataon lang na kinulang ‘yung ating posas dahil may resistance, kaya nakita mo naman, ayaw nila, talagang nakipaghaltakan pa,” Pastor said.

(All of them will be charged. We just happened to run short of handcuffs because there was resistance. As you saw, they refused to comply and even engaged in a tussle with officers.)

The SPD said a commotion broke out between some protesters and authorities after the demonstrators allegedly refused to cooperate with police.

“... Kasi ayaw naman nila sumama nang maayos, nakipaghaltakan. Nakiusap naman tayo na sumama nang mahinahon. Pero trabaho lang namin 'yon, kailangan naming ipatupad kasi nakakasagabal na sila dito,” Pastor said when asked if anyone was injured during the arrests.

(Because they didn't want to come with us peacefully, an altercation ensued. We appealed to them to come calmly, but we are just doing our job. We have to enforce the law because they were already obstructing the area.)

“Ang dami nang na-imbyerna nang dahil sa mga kababayan natin na dito pa ang napiling pagdausan ng kanilang protesta,” he added.

(So many people were already inconvenienced because our fellow citizens chose to hold their protest right here.)

Pastor said police had initially negotiated with the group, but the protesters allegedly moved onto the road, where holding a program was not permitted.

“Kung makikita mo, kaninang before lunch pa sila kinakausap. Ang usapan pa ihatid na lang sila doon sa kung saan sila nanggaling pero ayaw, bagkus lumabas sila… lumabas dito sa kalsada, nagdaos ng kanilang protesta. So ano ang gagawin natin? Hindi ito Freedom Park para sila ay magdaos ng protesta,” he said.

(As you can see, we had been talking to them since before lunch. The agreement was that we would escort them back to where they came from, but they refused and instead went out onto the road to hold their protest. So what are we supposed to do? This is not a freedom park where they can stage a rally.)

The SPD said protesters who fainted during the incident were immediately brought to the hospital for medical attention.

The arrested individuals will be temporarily held at the National Capital Region Police Office headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, according to another report by Nielsen.

However, Lakbayan ng Timog Katagalugan claimed that as many as 300 individuals were arrested during their protest in Muntinlupa City, higher than the number reported by police.— MCG, GMA News

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