Only 10 allowed at Independence Day events, but ‘mañanita,’ protests to push through

Only ten persons will be allowed to join the official Independence Day celebrations  that will be held in various locations across the country Friday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday.

PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac said that this is in compliance with the directive of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on public gatherings amid the COVID-19 threat.

"Strictly sinusunod natin ang panuntunan ng general community quarantine na hanggang sampung tao lang ang participants ng mga ito," he said.

Independence Day is usually celebrated with the raising of the Philippine flag and the singing of the Philippine national anthem nationwide, including at historical sites such as the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite and Rizal Park in Manila. 

All other mass gatherings and protest actions are prohibited, Banac stressed.

However, various groups have vowed to push through with their planned protest actions against the anti-terrorism bill and the administration's weak response in dealing with its territorial dispute with China.

The group Movement Against Tyranny (MAT) is calling its event a "mañanita," after  National Capital Region Police Office chief Major General Debold Sinas' birthday party, held last month in spite of quarantine rules against gatherings.

"Kung hindi siya [Sinas] inaresto dahil nag-mañanita sya, e di huwag din niya tayong arestuhin kasi mañanita rin yung gagawin namin," said MAT co-convenor Sister Mary John Manansal.

Various labor and women's groups are also set to hold a motorcade from Bantayog Ng Mga Bayani to the Commission on Human Rights grounds where a program is expected to be held.

"Buo ang ating loob. Alam nating posibleng merong threat sa ating seguridad bukas pero tama po tayong lahat, hindi na po tayo makakapayag at tayo po'y lalabas dahil atin pong ipagdiriwang ang araw ng kalayaan sa kalsada," said Partidong Mangagawa secretary general Judy Ann Miranda.

Artist group DAKILA announced it will hold a social media event to make a stand against anti-terrorism bill and other issues.

Senator Risa Hontiveros is also schedule to lead a protest action via Facebook Live.

The Liberal Party will be holding online activities but one of its chapters will  conduct a "meet-up" where social distancing and other health protocols will be observed.

Banac warned protesters that they could face charges for holding mass actions without the necessary permits.

"Umiiral po ang batas natin. Itong RA 11332 o yung mandatory reporting of pandemic and other health events at nakapaloob po riyan ang provision na non-cooperation sa ating pinapatupad na general community quarantine. Kapag sumuway po tayo sa ating kapulisan ay paglabag po muli yan ng article 151 o yung disobedience to authorities," he said.

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno countered Banac, saying there is no law that prohibits the holding of protest actions during a pandemic.

"As long as we practice social distancing we should and we can and we must be allowed to exercise our right to peaceably assemble. Tinitingnan ko kasi wala namang batas na bawal magprotesta dahil nasa ilalim tayo ng isang pandemya. The only regulation that has been issued is nanggaling sa IATF at yung IATF ay hindi naman yan law-making body," Diokno said.

"Pero siyempre tingnan din natin yung mga local ordinance. Kung meron mang local ordinance na pinagbabawal yan, ang tingin ko lang ay labag yan sa batas at yan ay void but of course you will have to check your respective jurisdictions," he added.

"We should exercise our rights. Araw nga ng kalayaan e bakit hindi tayong puwedeng gamitin yung ating kalayaan na magprotesta kung online man yan o totoong nasa kalsada," Diokno said. — BM, GMA News