KABATAAN Partylist denounced Davao City's policy prohibiting street rallies, saying that local government should just focus on addressing economic issues instead.
Kabataan Partylist vice chairperson for Mindanao Jayvie Cabajes, in an online interview, said the city is violating the freedom of expression when it passed an ordinance that prohibits any form of blockade of streets and highways such as rallies.
“Mariing kinondena ng kabataan party list ang aksyon ng lokal na pamunuan sa paggawa at pag apruba sa ordinansya na pumipigil sa mga kilos protesta sa lansangan ng Davao City,” Cabajes said on Wednesday, November 28.
“Ito ay pagtanggal sa karapatan ng mamamayan sa malayang pagpapahayag. Itong karapatan na ito ay garantiya ng konstitusyon ng Pilipinas sa mamamayan,” he added.
He also said that instead of making solutions to address their concerns, the city made an ordinance that would violate their freedom of expression.
“Karapatan na napagtagumpayan din sa pinagsamang lakas ng mga Pilipino. Imbes na aksyonan ng lokal na pamunuan ang problema ng mga Pilipino sa lumalakas na krisis pang ekonomiya, ito ang naging sagot nila,” Cabajes.
“Kaya kami ay di matatakot at handing-handang makibaka para sa tunay na pagbabago ng bansa,” he said.
The ordinance prohibiting and penalizing any act that impedes the free flow of traffic along public streets and highways, such as unauthorized road closures, was approved on its third and final reading during the regular session last Tuesday, November 27.
Davao City Vice Mayor Al-ag and other councilors said this does not violate the freedom of expression since it will not ban rallies but only regulate it.