Karapatan human rights alliance took exception to statements by acting police chief Lt. Gen. Melencio Nartatez Jr. contrasting the “peaceful” Iglesia ni Cristo protest from November 16 to 17 to the “violent” anti-corruption protests of September 21.
“The killing of two individuals and the arbitrary arrest, detention and torture of 216 others, including 91 minors, are ample proof that the police employed violence and disproportionate force against the protesters,” said Atty. Maria Sol Taule, Karapatan deputy secretary general.
Taule, who assisted the family of fatality Eric Saber and provided legal services to many of those arrested, added: “No matter how you look at it, there was no maximum tolerance to speak of. While rallyists were picked up for expressing their grievances, many of those arrested were not even participants of the September 21 rally and were arbitrarily seized and beaten up by the police. It was a show of brutal, naked power.”
Taule warned the police against using its brutality on September 21 as the template for dealing with militant protests in the future. “Should that be the case, the PNP will be exposing itself as a protector of corrupt politicians and plunderers, and a persecutor of anti-corruption advocates.”
