Some of the protesters rallied from Fuente Osmeña to downtown Cebu City today, May 1, 2021. | CDN Digital Photo by Pegeen Maisie Sararaña
CEBU CITY, Philippines —Some 300 policemen secured the streets in Cebu City and monitored 700 protesters as they held their Labor Day march today, May 1, from Fuente Osmeña Circle to downtown Cebu City.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) deputy director for operations, said that the march was generally peaceful and it was closely monitored by the city’s policemen.
Parilla said that there 347 policemen manned areas covering the rally that started around 9 a.m. where the marchers from cause-oriented groups carried placards showing their grievances to the government like its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, wage increases, and societal concerns among others.
The Labor Day rally ended an hour later.
Police Brigadier General Ronnie Montejo, Police Regional Office in Central Visayas chief, said the police observed maximum tolerance in handling the protesters.
According to a Bayan Central Visayas coordinator, they recorded at least 700 people from different cause-oriented groups, who joined the rally.
READ: 14 cause-oriented group members detained for ‘quarantine violations’
However, the Bayan CV coordinator also cited the apprehension of 14 members of Nagkahiusang Kabus sa Lapu-Lapu (NAKALAP) Kadamay at past 7 a.m. today along Mango Avenue or General Maxilom Avenue for “health protocols or quarantine” violations.
“Ang nahitabo sa 14 ka mga myembro sa Nagkahiusang Kabus sa Lapu-Lapu (NAKALAP) Kadamay, ug mga mamumuo ug myembro sa Partido Manggagawa kay usa ka tataw nga porma sa pag atake sa paggamit sa Covid protocol batok sa katungod sa katawhan sa pagpadayag,” said Bayan Central Visayas in a statement.
(What happened to the 14 members of Nagkahiusang Kabus sa Lapu-Lapu (Nakalap) Kadamay and members of the Partido Manggagawa is a form of attack using the Covid protocol against the freedom of speech.)
But Parilla said that these individuals were held under the custody of the Cebu City Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) after violating health protocols.
Police Major Armando Labora, Abellana Police Station chief, said that these individuals were apprehended during their checkpoint around 7 a.m. along Mango Avenue.
He said that the vehicle that these individuals were riding on was overloaded and since they violated health protocols they were apprehended and turned over to PROBE for proper disposition.
“Napulo ra unta ang capacity sa van nga dako, pero huot kaayo sila,” he added.
The van’s capacity was only good for 10 people and they were really jam-packed inside the van [since there were 14 people inside].)
/dbs
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