At least 16 drivers of "kuliglig" (motorized pedicabs) face charges for Wednesday's violent protest that injured 12 people. Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim ordered the book thrown at the drivers, even as he scored their supporters for vandalizing the Manila Police District (MPD) headquarters Wednesday night. "Siyempre ipagagamot natin ang pulis at idedemanda sila [protesters] na kasali rito sa karahasang ginawa (We will have our policemen's injuries treated and charge the drivers for the violence)," Lim said in an interview on dwIZ radio. Police detained at least 16 drivers following a violent dispersal of the rally where the drivers threw stones at policemen removing the pedicabs from the road. Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported that of the 16, three of them women, and that they spent Wednesday night at the MPD General Assignments Section. A separate report on dzXL radio early Thursday quoted Manila police as saying that the charges against the 16 included illegal assembly, obstruction and assault. Kuliglig drivers who opposed Lim's order banning them from plying the city’s main streets barricaded Burgos Street on Wednesday and snarled traffic in several areas of the city. In an interview on Unang Balita, Lim denied claims the police used excessive force in dispersing the rally, saying the protesters were warned for causing traffic jam.
"Yung mga nagsabi ng ganyan, wala kasi sila doon sa pangyayari. Binigyan ang mga nagpoprotesta ng pagkakataong magsalita... e, apat na oras na nandoon parin sila... paano naman yung karapatan ng ibang mga motorista?" Lim said. Lim also denied accusations the city government is denying livelihood to kuliglig drivers, saying they can still ply the side streets provided they must also remove the engines they put on their pedicabs.
"kasinungalingan yang sinasabi nilang yan. Pinapayagan silang mamasada pero dapat doon lang sa side streets. Dapat tanggalin nila ang mga makina naikinabit nila... maingay kasi yun dahil sa makina yan ng bangka," Lim said. In an earlier radio interview, Lim stressed that the city government will stand firm on its policy banning the motorized pedicabs from the city's main streets. Lim ordered the ban after receiving complaints about the noise and pollution caused by
kuliglig engines, as well as traffic disruption created as these unlicensed vehicles shuttle in and out of main roads. "We will stand by our policy. We have to assert the supremacy of the law," he said.
Lawmaker's request On the other hand, Lim scored the drivers' "allies" from militant groups for trying to intimidate police. He said a lawmaker asked him Wednesday night to release the 16 to the lawmaker's custody but he refused. He did not name the lawmaker. Shortly after that, he said a group of militants went to MPD headquarters and defaced the monument honoring policemen killed in the line of duty. "What do we do now? Do we play blind or do we enforce the law?" he said. On the other hand, Lim advised kuliglig drivers to remove the engines from their pedicabs and continue their work of ferrying passengers.
CHR probe Meanwhile, Commission on Human Rights chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales said her office will write to the office of Mayor Lim and to the Manila police to ask why Wednesday's rally turned violent, adding the move could lead to investigation.
"Tungkol doon sa violent dispersal, susulat muna tayo kay Mayor Lim at sa Manila police upang itanong bakit pinayagang mangyari yung karahasan. Baka mauwi nga sa imbestigasyon ang nangyari," Rosales said in an interview on Unang Balita.
Rosales said television footage showed there may have been excessive force by police in dispersing the protest. "Using wave after wave of policemen hitting them with truncheons was unnecessary. The drivers were lying on the ground yet they were still hit," she said in Filipino on Unang Balita. In the dwIZ interview, Rosales said the police needed an orientation of civil and political rights.
"Yung pananakit marahas yan, bawal yan (Hurting people is forbidden). The policemen should be properly investigated and those guilty should be charged," she added. She said she will coordinate with the police's Internal Affairs Unit on the investigation. "Definitely the policemen involved should be charged," she added. On the other hand, she said the organizers of the protest should have applied for a permit to rally and advised the CHR so it can send observers to the event.
"May karapatang pantao rin ang pulis at di mo dapat binabato at sinasaktan (The policemen have rights too and they should not be injured)," she said.
— LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV 
GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
