Different groups protested in front of the Philippine National Police headquarters, smearing the gates of Camp Crame in Quezon City with pig’s blood after the police chief vowed to continue its anti-crime operations.
In a joint statement on Thursday, the groups condemned the PNP’s “blind adherence” to President Rodrigo Duterte’s orders, saying that it does not “serve and protect” the interest of Filipinos.
“The massive arbitrary arrests, if left unchallenged, are revealing of a fascist rule in the offing. First they came for the drug addicts. Now the tambays,” Sanlakas Secretary General Atty. Aaron Pedrosa said.
“It will only be a matter of time when they will come knocking at anyone’s door,” he added.
Sanlakas, along with women’s group Oriang, Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (Spark), and Kaisa UP called on the PNP to stop all anti-poormeasures, respect the rights of the people, and prosecute all police officers involved in the violation of basic rights.
In a previous report, however, PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde shot down claims of human rights violations and targeting bystanders or tambays, saying that not one of those arrested complained of violations.
He also said that the campaign will continue, before clarifying that the apprehended night idlers, now amounting to more than 18,000 individuals, were arrested because they violated certain laws or city ordinances like drinking and smoking in public or roaming in public half-naked.
However, Pedrosa echoed the sentiments of other administration critics that PNP’s operations are reminiscent of the Martial law in 1972.
“Our country has been down this road before where widespread warrantless arrests and detention, torture, disappearances and state-sanctioned assassinations were the norm and the police playing henchman for a dictator,” he said.
“We must not allow a Marcosian past to be relived under our watch,” Pedrosa added.
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