Police deny blocking protesters going to Dole Philippines in Polomolok
The Polomolok municipal police on Tuesday denied the allegation that they blocked protesters who will hold a Labor Day rally at Dole Philippines office.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Cadungon, chief of Polomolok municipal station, said they are conducting their regular Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoints when they noticed several jeepneys that were out of line.
“When they are coming, the HPG (Highway Patrol Group) and our personnel noticed that they were out of line that’s why they were flagged down,” he told The Daily Manila Shimbun in a phone interview.
Cadungon said the jeepney drivers could not show their license.
“They admitted that they are out of line and decided to just go back. The drivers do not want to pass the checkpoint. They are afraid to pay fines,” he said.
Protesters could not show any permit to travel when asked where they are going.
Cadungon said they did not hold them and even allowed them to hold protests for a few minutes.
“They left after… We had a good conversation with them,” he said.
He questioned the statement of the Sandugo Youth MSU and told them they are only doing their job.
In a statement, Sandugo Youth MSU condemned the harassment allegedly perpetrated by the police and military.
“Peoples March against contractualization and caravan campaign led by KMU and BAYAN-Socsksargen along with other progressive groups and partylists str0ngly c0ndemn the harrasment perpetrated by PNP,” it said.
According to them, around 3pm at least 500 delegates of the caravan onboard on more than 20 trucks and jeeps while heading to Dole Philippines Polomolok branch when barred by PNP at the National Highway, Brgy. Glamang, Polomolok.
“AFP and PNP in the region are gearing up to blocked the culmination of thousands of workers on May 1 International Labor Day as the workers across the country will show their outrage against Duterte and his cohorts in a nationwide protests to demand a P750 nationwide wage hike, an end to all forms of contractualization and to denounce Duterte’s creeping dictatorship and gross labor and human rights violations,” it said. Ella Dionisio/DMS
