CEBU CITY— It was a case of so close yet so far.
At least 100 members of the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) about 11 a.m. on Monday tried to get near the gates of Camp Sergio Osmeña, headquarters of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), where President Duterte was scheduled to turn over 20 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in the afternoon.
But they were blocked by at least 30 policemen from Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) clad in full anti-riot gear, about 50 meters away from the police camp along Osmeña Boulevard in Cebu City.
The police formed a human barricade and occupied the entire northbound lane of the boulevard.
The rallyists led by Jaime Paglinawan, Bayan Central Visayas chair, tried to break into the barricade but the policemen refused to let them pass.
Shoving and pushing between the two groups ensued which lasted for about 30 minutes.
One rallyist even screamed at the policemen not to forget that their salaries also came from the taxes of the protesters.
“Kana inyong gisul-ot inyong sweldo ug inyong gipangkuptan gikan na sa among buwis! Unya inyo ming pugngan? (Whatever you’re wearing now, your salaries, came from our taxes. Yet, you would not let us through),” she shouted.
In the end, the protesters were overpowered as the policemen were able to push them back to the Government Service Insurance System building, about 20 meters from the police camp.
The group decided to disperse after realizing that there was no way for them to get near Camp Sergio Osmeña.
Paglinawan condemned the move of the police, which he said, should have exercised maximum tolerance.
“Wala man silay igong rason nganong dili mi nila paagihon. Igo rami mo agi padulong sa Fuente Circle. Wala mi gikuptan bisag usa nga makapasakit o makahatag og kagubot (They had no reason not to let us pass. We were just heading to Fuente Osmeña Circle. We were not carrying any weapon),” he said.
But Supt. Arnel Libed, Regional Public Safety Battalion in Central Visayas, (RPSB-7) chief, said they could not allow the Bayan members to get near PRO-7 headquarters for security reasons.