At least six members of leftist group Anakpawis were arrested by authorities after they violated the Enhance Community Quarantine at a checkpoint in Norzagaray, Bulacan Sunday morning.
The arrest, however, was immediately condemned by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, describing the arrest as ‘baseless.’
In a police report, a green jeepney with license plate ZHN 869 where six Anakpawis members are on board was flagged down by policemen after they tried to pass a police checkpoint in Brgy. Bigte, NorZagaray town at 11 a.m. the other day.
The Anakpawis members were identified as Karl Mae San Juan, 29; Marlon Lester Guete, 26; Robero Medel, 52; Eriberto Pena Jr., 60; Raymar Guaves, 21 and Tobi Estrada, 22.
Upon investigation, Policemen manning the ECQ checkpoint said that the Anakpawis members did not carry appropriate quarantine pass, saying instead that they were conducting relief operation.
During the conduct of visual inspection on the relief items the Anakpawis members were carrying, policemen found pamphlets, magazine and circulars with subversive contents as well as propaganda campaign on the left leaning organizations affiliated with the communist terrorist groups, and tarpaulins with inscription “Sagip Kanayunan and Tulong Anakpawis” hanged at both side of the jeepney.
Two hours after the arrest of the 6 Anakpawis members, former Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Barring Casilao appeared at the Norzagaray Police Station.
Meanwhile, the Interior department slammed Anakpawis for violating the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Luzon when several of its members broke the ‘stay at home policy,’ conducted an unauthorized travel outside of Metro Manila, and attempted to organize a mass gathering in Norzagaray, Bulacan in the guise of distributing relief goods.
“Breaking the Quarantine rules is breaking the law. ‘Wag po tayong pasaway. You are only allowed to go out of residence to buy food, medicines or for medical emergencies. By doing this obvious propaganda stunt, Anakpawis has placed the lives of the people of Bulacan at risk. Wala pong pinipili ang COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). Mayaman man o mahirap,” said DILG Spokesperson and Undersecretary Jonathan E. Malaya.
He said that the group was only able to pass through some PNP (Philippine National Police) checkpoints by placing an unauthorized Food Pass in the windshield of their jeep and mentioning the name of former Anakpawis Party-list congressman Ariel Casilao who, in fact, is no longer an incumbent member of Congress. “Nag name-drop pa sila ng ex-partylist congressman pero buti na lang nasabat sila sa isang checkpoint sa Bigte, Norzagaray, Bulacan,” he said.
“We wish to remind Anakpawis that the virus cannot spread by itself. It has no legs. It is people that spread the virus. You give us no choice but to file charges against you. Wala po tayong special treatment kahit may congressman kayo. Ang lahat ng pasaway, kakasuhan,” he said.
He said that PNP investigation revealed that the true purpose of the unauthorized travel outside of Metro Manila was to conduct a mass gathering in the form of a teach-in or propaganda work against the government because numerous tarpaulins, pamphlets, and propaganda materials were found inside the jeepney.
“Kung tunay ngang relief operation ang kailangan gagawin, bakit ‘di sila nakipag-ugnayan sa IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force], NTF [National Task Force] COVID or kahit man lang sana sa local government unit ng Norzagaray, Bulacan? Maari naman silang payagan kung ‘yon ang tunay nilang layunin,” he said.
Malaya said that the presence of numerous propaganda materials bared the true purpose of their unauthorized travel. “Kung tunay ngang relief operation ito, bakit sila magdadala ng napakaraming propaganda materials?” he said. The 50 packs of relief goods were turned over to the Barangay Captain of Bigte while the propaganda materials were confiscated as evidence in court proceedings.
“Anakpawis will have their day in court. The DILG assures them of due process. Sa korte na sila magpaliwanag,” he said.
Meanwhile, the The incident happened last April 19 as police apprehended the
volunteers’ vehicle carrying relief goods for hungry and displaced peasants.
The ICHRP, meanwhile, said the arrest should not have been made.
“We are appalled by how the Philippine government treats relief volunteers in this time of a global pandemic. The recent arrest of seven civilians whose only intent is to help their fellow farmers affected by the crisis is a testament to this,” said ICHRP chairperson Peter Murphy in a statement.
One of those arrested was Casilkao, who negotiated their release with the police so that they may turn over the goods for distribution. Moments later the volunteers were called back and detained again in the station.
According to a statement from the Peasant Movement of the Philippines, the authorities were unable to give any justification for the arrest.
“We have been conducting relief operations since the first week of the lockdown. We have secured the necessary food pass and permits, we are wearing face masks, and observing physical distancing.
The information materials that we are distributing are based on the latest data from the DOH and the WHO. What violation could the police possibly accuse us of?” one of the detained farmer leader Redo Pena asked.
“We are appealing to the Philippine authorities to release the volunteers and abandon the militarist approach the pandemic, which is a health crisis. Instead, they should work with organizations which try to help people cope with the pandemic,” said Murphy.
Meanwhile, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas has called on the Department of Agriculture and Bureau and Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to deplore the Norzagaray police and the Department of the Interior and Local Government for “invalidating the official food pass” that they have issued.
PAMALAKAYA added that this case would drag even BFAR Director Eduardo Gongona to unnecessary inconvenience, all because the police continued on its ‘fascist’ framewor of attacking activists, instead of sincerely adhering to the “bayanihan” spirit that the country direly needs.
“We are calling on the DA and BFAR to denounce Usec. Malaya for questioning the validity of the food pass that was released for our humanitarian activity. The illegal arrest and detention of our seven volunteers including Casilao is not only a violation of the people’s right to relief aid, but also a vile harassment against our humanitarian volunteers who are considered as frontliners for providing relief goods to the poor families,” said Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson, in a statement.
The food pass displayed on the windshield of the vehicle used by the Anakpawis relief volunteers was issued by no less than the national director of BFAR with an accreditation number that can be verified directly to the BFAR, said Hicap.
