BAYAN scores PNP’s use of ‘sonic weapon’ in anti-Trump rally

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan has questioned the PNP's use of "a sonic weapon" to control anti-Trump protesters in Manila on Monday.

BAYAN Secretary General Renato Reyes said the loud, high-pitched and repetitive sound was "a serious assault" not only protesters but also on bystanders.

"Well during the dispersal, gumamit sila ng sonic weapon. First time 'yan sa amin, sa isang rally," Reyes told GMA News Online.

"Usually ang pinapatugtog lang nila na sonic weapon 'yung mga kanta ni Katy Perry tulad noong mga nakaraang taon," he added.

"Pero ito talaga, this is considered as a sonic weapon, mataas, matining... high-pitched sound, repetitive," Reyes said.

"Ano siya eh, it's designed to disrupt the protest. Delikado ang weapon na 'yan. It affects everyone, even bystanders. That's a serious assault to the people. It's a violation of our rights," he added.

Reyes was referring to the Long Range Acoustic Device allegedly deployed in Manila on Monday to ward off anti-Trump protesters away from the US Embassy and from the venue of the ASEAN Summit.

Reyes said the use of the LRAD against protesters could have come from the United States.

The US-based LRAD Corporation maintains that the LRAD the device was not a weapon but a "highly intelligible, long range communication system and a safer alternative to kinetic force."

It does say that the device is used for law enforcement.

"Feeling namin baka Amerikano ang nagsabi sa kanila na gamitin na 'yan eh. Kasi ang alam namin ang US talaga ang gumagamit niyan eh," Reyes said.

"I don't know if they (policemen) have actual guidelines on how such devices are used," he added.

Cops used the LRAD and water cannons to stop the protesters.

Six policemen were hurt during the dispersal operations.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, National Capital Region Police Office chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said the LRAD was only used in "extreme circumstances."

"Actually ginagamit po 'yan pag extreme circumstances lang at 'yan po ay nasa discretion ng ground commander kung talagang kinakailangan. Pero limitadong-limitado po ang paggamit niyan at di continuous dahil nakakasira ng pandinig," Albayalde said.

"Kahit mga pulis pag tinamaan po niyan... kaya di po masyadong ginagamit 'yan. At usually ang ginagamit po natin ay water cannons lang," Albayalde added.

Reyes denied that the marchers were the reason why the protest action resulted in a violent dispersal.

"The violence doesn't come from protesters. The violence comes from the use of state fascism... When they start blocking people, they deployed thousands of policemen... When they block our way, that's the source of violence that people have to resist," Reyes said.

"Ang ginagawa lang namin is resistance kasi ginigipit kami," he added. —NB, GMA News