AUTHORITIES are looking into filing charges against the progressive leaders of militant groups after they barricaded the national highway on Monday evening and brought children while conducting a rally on Tuesday morning, October 23.
Police Senior Inspector Ma. Teresita Gaspan, spokesperson of Davao City Police Office (DCPO), said on Wednesday, October 24, they are studying to file a case against certain personalities.
Possible case that they will file before the court is violation of the Republic Act 7610 or Anti-Child Abuse Law for Child Exploitation against Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT-Teachers) Representative Antonio Tinio and Anakpawis Representative Ariel Casilao for encouraging minors to go into protest with them.
“Sila atong giandaman karon nga possible makasuhan,” she said.
They are also determining other leaders who led the barricade in Lasang, Davao City near the Task Force Davao checkpoint for possible filing of case for violation of Batas Pambansa Blg. 880 or The Public Assembly Act of 1985 after the protest caused traffic build up and inconvenience to the public.
Among the identified leaders during the protest in Lasang are Pedro Arnado of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)-Compostela Valley and Tony Saludre of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU)-Davao.
“Like katong sauna gina-ignite lang man nila ang police para ma-provoke (Before, they only provoke the policemen),” she added, but she assured that during protests, they maintain maximum tolerance against the militant groups and uphold human rights.
Earlier, Davao City Mayor Sara-Duterte-Carpio lashed out against militant leaders in her Instagram post for the presence of children whom she said should have been studying instead of joining with them in the rally.
“Ariel Casilao, Anak Pawis, CPP-NPA-NDF, just one question, what are the rights of the minors behind you? You take them out of schools and put them in the streets to conduct your rallies. Again, you do not deserve to be in Congress. When will the House of Representatives ever kick you out? Gising na po ethics committee,” Duterte-Carpio said.
In another post she added, “Ito pa isa, Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers, CPP-NPA-NDF, ano po masasabi ninyo sa mga bata sa likod ninyo na pinag rarally ninyo on a school day? Ibagsak ang ACT Teachers, they do not endeavor to put children in schools. They want children to remain poor to be exploited by ACT Teachers.”