DISTURBING images are being shared on social media about the violent dispersal outside the US Embassy in Manila against a group of activists who have organized indigenous people.
That the dispersal is timed with President Rodrigo Duterte’s absence, he, having just started his four-day visit in China, leaves a much more disturbing thought…
It has been decades since we, in Davao City, last saw riot policemen in confrontation with protesters. We’re used to seeing red flags, streamers and placard-bearing activists shouting over megaphones.
They even join our Parada Dabawenyo during Araw ng Dabaw, and for a time, even the Floral Float Parade in Kadayawan sa Dabaw (when even those without floats were still allowed to participate).
We see riot policemen standing by the road especially when there are high officials in town, like erstwhile President Benigno Aquino. But their presence is more of a protocol than anything else. But never a confrontation. We know that so well because President Duterte as a mayor, allowed anyone to protest for as long as they follow some rules, like not blocking traffic.
The maximum tolerance of the City Government was tried when farmers suffering from the El Niño barricaded the highway in the northern part of the city in March 2016, stranding passengers and making parents worry as their schoolchildren failed to arrive home on time. But all throughout, the city merely negotiated that the activists, incidentally made up of some indigenous people leaders as well, leave peacefully. The highway was finally cleared very late in the afternoon.
A similar barricade was put up in Kidapawan City the following month, but this time, the farmers were met with violence similar to dispersals during the Marcos dictatorship.
Two were killed and more than 30 were injured and what followed was even worse as the Provincial Government of North Cotabato even blocked the rice donations sent and lawsuits were filed against the hapless farmers.
The stark difference showed the level of tolerance two local governments react to such mass protests. Then, this. It is too jarring and out of tune to be associated with the administration of Duterte such that we can only suspect that there are invisible hands moving behind the scenes.
There are still people who want to instigate trouble, and maybe even scuttle peace talks. There can be hands who just want the government to be known as violent to fit into their scheme of things.
This is what the Duterte Administration should always be wary about.
There will never be an end to all the detractors and evil schemes intended to block any positive gain this administration will ever be able to make, simply because it stands against a multi-billion industry based on illegal rugs and corruption.
There will also be the invisible hands of people who do not want any peace deal to be hatched. All these are eating into personal interests, it’s just heart-breaking that in the process, it is the helpless and poor indigenous peoples who get the brunt of all these machinations from everywhere.
We think it’s time that Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa find someone who also has the heart for the people to serve as his understudy and deputy to hold the fort while he attends to other concerns.