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Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Mayor designates kiosk for rallies
By Victor L. Camion
DUMAGUETE City Mayor Agustin Perdices has designated the kiosk in Quezon Park as venue where any groups or organizations could exercise their freedom of expressions.
"The freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are two of the most cherished fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution," Mayor Perdices said in his Executive Order No. 04, series of 2006 issued on April 27, 2006.
The executive order reiterated the City Government's continuing and strict adherence to the Constitutional provisions on freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.
The mayor said the kiosk, inside Quezon Park and fronting City Hall and Cathedral Church, could serve as the freedom park or a place for demonstrations, rallies and meetings, without the need of any prior permit.
He said the executive order was consonant with the Public Assemblty Act of 1985 that provides that every city and municipality in the country must designate at least one suitable "freedom park" in their respective jurisdiction.
Earlier Governor George Arnaiz said that rallies must be held only in one venue.
Arnaiz said the most convenient place for rallies is the city's Quezon Park.
"This is better so that protesters can voice out their concerns in one place and not just anywhere," said the governor adding, that it is the mayor's prerogative to designate a place for rallies.
Maximum tolerance
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Negros Oriental assured maximum tolerance against rallies during the celebration of Labor Day on Monday.
PNP Provincial Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe said he would deploy additional police forces in the city to augment the city police to monitor against untoward incidents.
Any violent moves must be preempted, said Buenafe.
He assured that the rights of expression would be respected.
The PNP expected protest rallies to be held by different labor groups including the militant labor organization Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and its alliances.
The Supreme Court earlier issued a directive giving local government units 30 days to identify areas for protests or rallies, after it ruled as unconstitutional President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's calibrated preemptive response (CPR).
Arnaiz said although he supported Arroyo's CPR, still as a lawyer, he would abide by the Supreme Court decision.
(April 30, 2006 issue)
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