Labor Day celebration generally peaceful – PNP
YESTEDAY’S nationwide observance of Labor Day was generally peaceful with the Philippine National Police (PNP) noting no significant incident except for some pocket street protests which ended up without any violence, PNP chief General Debold M. Sinas said.
As of 12 noon, the PNP Directorate for Operations noted no untoward incident across the country even as some labor and transport organizations in Tondo, Manila, Liwasang Bonifacio and España Boulevard heeded calls to voluntarily disperse and terminate their activities.
The Quezon City Police District monitored more or less 700 mass protesters at Welcome Rotonda, Q.C. while around 250 mass activists were reported from Metro Colon going to Plaza Independencia, Cebu City.
“The PNP would like to reiterate that the entire Metro Manila including the Bubble provinces remain under MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) and strict implementation of health protocols is being enforced by authorities,” said Sinas.
Under the MECQ, any forms of mass gathering are prohibited to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the public is urged to stay at home or take part in online Labor Day programs instead, rather than going to physical gatherings and assemblies, he added.
“We would like to thank those militant and labor groups who heeded our call to abandon their earlier plans to stage public assemblies. Our objective is to keep everyone safe,” the PNP chief said.
Sinas said the PNP is well aware of the plans by militant cause-oriented groups to stage public assemblies and mass actions in several venues.
“Although the PNP support all lawful activities in commemoration of Labor Day, we would like to discourage them from pursuing their plans and instead conduct an online protest in lieu of physical rallies in the streets due to the existing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
“May we also remind all the organizers of these groups that we are still under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine in the NCR Bubble and that there are minimum health standards to be complied with wherein the organizers are held responsible,” he added.
Sinas ordered the National Capital Region Police Office headed by Major Gen. Vicente D. Danao Jr. and all other 17 police regional offices to establish presence in areas where protesters were expected to converge.
At about 7:50 a.m. yesterday, some 100 members of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino and Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng mga Maralita ng Lungsod held a rally in front of UST in España.
An hour later, some 200 members of the Federation of Free Workers joined a rally in front of ABS-CBN along Scout Esguerra Street in Bgy. South Triangle, Q.C.
Another 150 demonstrators converged at the People Power Monument in EDSA, Q.C. The party-list group Gabriela also initiated a feeding program in Bgy. Barangka in Marikina City where they encouraged beneficiaries to sign a paper demanding a P10,000 financial assistance from the government.
Another 80 protesters were monitored in Sta. Rosa City in Laguna, said PRO4-A director, Brigadier Gen. Felipe R. Natividad.
In Bicol region, PRO5 director, Brig. Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo said they monitored a protest rally participated in by some 50 members of Anakbayan, PISTON, Bayan Muna, Kilusang Mayo Uno and Gabriela in Plaza Rizal in Naga City.
In Cebu City, the local police monitored the presence of about 250 protesters form Metro Colon going to Plaza Independencia, said PRO7 director, Brig. Gen. Ronnie S. Montejo.
In Region 12, Brig. Gen. Michael John F. Dubria said they monitored a caravan of around 100 tricycle drivers in Bgy. Calumpang in General Santos City.
In Cordillera region, Brig. Gen. Ronald O. Lee said they monitored some 20 protesters in Igorot Garden in Baguio City.
Around 1 in the afternoon, a rally in Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila was halted when the demonstrators complied with an appeal from the local police that such activity is banned under the MECQ. However, KMU chairperson Elmer Labog denounced the PNP move saying that Labor Day should honor workers and not deprive them of their right to air their grievances.
No other similar protest rallies were monitored in the rest of the country.
