The Philippine National Police (PNP) affirmed on Friday that it will continue to uphold the public’s right to peaceful assembly—but warned that violations of the law during protests will be dealt with accordingly.
This comes in the wake of an escalating protest outside St. Gerrard Construction’s office in Pasig City, a company tied to embattled contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya. Demonstrators—many of them flood survivors and environmental advocates—smeared mud across the building’s gate and walls, spray-painting strong accusations like “magnanakaw” (thief), “corrupt,” and “ikulong” (jail them), in a bold rebuke of the alleged irregularities tied to government-awarded flood control projects.
Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño, chief of the PNP Public Information Office, said in a statement:
“The PNP recognizes authorized peaceful assembly, will respond to calls for police assistance anytime, will maintain peace and order, and will arrest violators of our laws.”
The protest followed a growing storm of controversy surrounding 12 high-end vehicles linked to the Discayas, which were flagged by the Bureau of Customs (BOC). The PNP-Highway Patrol Group earlier confirmed that eight of the vehicles have undergone validation as part of the investigation.
So far, no violent incidents have been reported in connection with the protest, which stretched into its second day with youth groups and progressive organizations joining the call for transparency and justice.
