A police vehicle runs over protesters in front of the US Embassy in Manila. The incident happened during the police’s violent dispersal of the protesters last Wednesday. (INQUIRER/MARIAN BERMUDEZ)
At least 100 farmers and militant groups in Cebu are calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to file charges against police officials who were involved in the violent dispersal last Wednesday of protesters in front of the US Embassy in Manila.
“We’re really happy that President Duterte ordered to start investigations. We also want that charges should be filed against those police officials and put them to jail because there was an intent to kill. The mere act of ramming the rallyists was a clear intent to kill,” said Nino Olayvar, Anakbayan vice president, whose group joined around 100 farmers who held a rally yesterday along Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City, to condemn the brutal dispersal of the protesters in Manila.
Dick Abazolo, head of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas-Cebu (KMP-Cebu); Thesha Godoy, chairperson of the Nagkahiusang Kusog sa Estudyante (NKE) from UP Cebu; and Olayvar, who headed the condemnation rally yesterday, also called for justice for the wounded protesters aside from the National Capital Region Police Office’s (NCRPO) decision to fire PO3 Franklin Koh of the Manila Police District, the driver of the police vehicle who rammed the protesters, and other MPD police officers involved in the violent dispersal.
“It’s really OK. In fact, we are relieved that justice was given to the rallyists. But we also ask President Duterte to further probe and give justice to the wounded farmers. Because we know they just raised their concerns on agrarian reform peacefully in front of the (US) embassy,” said Abazolo in Cebuano.
Condemnation rally
The KMP-Cebu headed by Abazolo led the condemnation rally yesterday to show their support to their fellow farmers who were injured in the hands of the MPD policemen during the brutal dispersal of the protest in front of the US Embassy.
“They have become the instrumental body which aim to disperse, in a violent manner, the issues and concerns raised peacefully by several sectors in the society. That’s why we condemned what happened as a cruel and violent dispersal coming from police forces,” said Abazolo in Cebuano.
Viral videos
Videos from various sources of the violent dispersal went viral in the internet yesterday afternoon, showing a police van ramming protesters as the vehicle went back and forth.
The driver of the van was identified as PO3 Koh of the MPD.
Several graphic photos of protesters handled cruelly were also circulated online.
Reports stated no less than 10 rallyists were wounded. They were calling for an end of US military presence in the country and to have a genuine agrarian reform passed as law.
Olayvar described the violent dispersal as “ironic.”
“It’s ironic, no? That the peaceful mobilization done by our farmers was in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s critical stand on the US, but people in his lower ranks are still the US’ tutas (puppies),” said Olayvar in Cebuano.
Godoy said she was close to tears when she saw the videos because it was a peaceful rally.