Protesters slam cops for rally disruptions

By Mar S. Arguelles

Militant activists have accused policemen of bullying and disrupting their protest rally commemorating the International Women’s Day in Naga City on Monday, Mar. 8, according to the Anakbayan.

Kryss Aranas, Anakbayan Naga spokesperson, said there were three harassment incidents that occurred while they were holding a march rally.

Accroding to Aranas, the first was while their group members were marching at the Diversion Road in Barangay Triagulo at around 11:00 AM, an alleged motorcycle riding policeman by the name of Michael Fernando intentionally sideswiped Jeffrey Zamora of Samahan ng Magsasaka sa Concepcion Grande (SMCG) and a member of the Damayan nin Paraoma sa Camarines Sur (DAMPA) and Tes Cello, BAYAN Camarines Sur spokesperson.

As a result of the incident, Zamora suffered injury on his arm and was brought to the Naga City Hospital for treatment, Aranas said.

The second was while holding a brief rally in front of the Department of Education (DepEd) office, a man they suspected as a policemen in civilian cloth took unauthorized pictures and video of the protesters.

Aranas said when they confronted the man telling him that he was violating rally protocols, the man shouted that he was a policeman and place his hand on his waist as if drawing a gun and immediately sped away his motorcycle.

The third incident was while speakers were delivering their rally speeches at the Plaza Oragon in downtown Naga, a man who was at the 3rd floor of the Naga City People’s Mall poured a pail of human urine at the protesters, which disrupted the rally.

As this developed, MSgt. Tobias Bongon, city police spokesperson, said that the Naga City Police Office (NCPO) does not condone any wrongdoings committed by members of its police force. Once proven that an NCPO cop is at fault, he or she will face an administrative sanction.

On the issue raised by the militant activists that Michael Fernando, the policeman allegedly on board a motorcycle with no plate who sideswiped a member of a farmers group, Bongon said the man was not a policeman but a fish vendor.

Bongon said Fernando admitted that while driving his motorcycle, he miscalculated and hit Zamora and Cello. Fernando said he ready to face any charges that might be filed against him.

In the case of the man in civilian cloth who claimed to be a police officer and who took pictures of the rallyists, Bongon said “ we will investigate this matter as the man who claims to be a policeman could possibly be a member of a police intelligence unit.”