THE Anakbayan Southern Mindanao Region (Anakbayan-SMR) denounced the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) for threatening to file charges against them after their protest outside the Department of Public Works and Highways–Davao Region (DPWH-Davao) office.
Anakbayan-SMR chairperson Fauzhea Guiani called the move a “cowardly tactic,” saying it aims to suppress freedom of expression and the right to dissent.
“Kaning hulga sa Davao City Police Office nga kasohan ang nagapanalipod sa katungod nagpamatuod lang na sila nag 'serve and protect the ruling elites'. Katawhan na gani ang gikawatan, katawhan pa ang kasuhan (This threat from the Davao City Police Office to file charges against those defending rights only proves that they ‘serve and protect the ruling elites.’ The people are already being robbed, and now it’s the people who are going to be charged),” she said in a statement on September 10, 2025.
SunStar Davao sought comment from the DCPO but received no response as of press time.
Guiani said their September 8 picket rally was peaceful and only intended to air public dissatisfaction over alleged anomalies in flood-control projects. Such action, she stressed, should not warrant legal charges.
She added that the Philippine National Police is failing to uphold its motto, “to serve and protect.” Instead of targeting protesters, Guiani said, police should join the public in demanding accountability from corrupt politicians.
She also urged Dabawenyos to “rise, resist, and unite” in calling for justice, adding that as long as the justice system remains “rotten,” the fight for accountability will continue. She further criticized what she described as a “de facto Martial Law” in Mindanao, noting that people have the right to express grievances beyond designated “freedom parks.”
Earlier, progressive groups staged protests outside DPWH-Davao’s Guerrero Street office, carrying images of contractors, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte to highlight alleged corruption in flood-control projects.
In Manila, around 60 Anakbayan protesters also demonstrated outside the DPWH main office, hurling balloons filled with foul-smelling water and rotten vegetables at police and security barricades to dramatize their calls against corruption. RGP