Protesters who hit QC cop face raps

Charges of robbery, direct assault and physical injury will be filed against leaders and members of at least nine groups for allegedly hitting and robbing a police officer during a protest at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) announced yesterday.

Around 150 protesters were holding a demonstration at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) compound in Barangay UP Campus on Saturday when they saw a man in plainclothes carrying a firearm.

According to police, the rallyists grabbed and dragged Chief M/ Sgt. Feliciano Evangelio during the commotion.

Police said Evangelio was with four fellow officers of the District Special Operations Unit to ensure peace and order in the area.

“They were approached by several demonstrators… With intent to inflict harm and apparently upon the orders of their leaders, the protesters beat up Evangelio,” the QCPD said.

Police said the protesters took Evangelio’s belt bag that contained a 9mm Glock Gen17 handgun, two magazines loaded with 30 ammunition, P5,000 cash, a wristwatch and smartphone.

Police said they would also file charges of grave coercion, illegal assembly and violation of Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health

Concern Act against Ryan Gonzales, alleged leader of rights group Karapatan; Kara Levina Taggaoa of the League of Filipino Students, and Larry Balbuena, president of transport group Pasada Piston.

Also facing charges are leaders of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Sanka, Lumad, Save our Schools and Kabataan.

“While Karapatan participated in the protest, the group believes that any charge of illegal assembly in connection with the activity is unfounded as the CHR area is a freedom park and permission has been sought from the CHR,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said in a statement.

Karapatan said none of its members was involved in the beating of Evangelio.

Palabay slammed the QCPD for its continued harassment of the group, citing an incident last week when two police officers in civilan clothes served her an invalid arrest warrant. One of the policemen masqueraded as a delivery guy for a courier service company, she said.

The arrest warrant was in connection with a perjury complaint filed against Palabay and other activists by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. last year.

The warrant was recalled by the court on April 29 after she posted bail of P18,000.

QCPD director Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo condemned the incident.

“Their actions were certainly uncalled for. Our policemen were there to maintain peace and order, considering that the assembly was illegal,” Montejo said.

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