'FULL FORCE'

Lawyers to be on guard vs. possible warrantless arrests during SONA protests

Lawyers will have a proactive role and will be on "full force" in protecting the welfare of protesters who will be joining mobilization activities during President Rodrigo Duterte's fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27, governance and legal expert Tony La Viña said Friday.

"We'll be on full force on July 27 if arrests are going to be done, but we can assure you, from a legal point of view, hindi iyan uubra because those are all unconstitutional arrests," La Viña, representing the Concerned Lawyers for Civil Liberties, said in a virtual forum titled #SONAgkaisa.

"Whatever the form is at saan man, we will have lawyers and lawyers' groups that will be there in full force to make sure, to guide people," he added.

La Viña stressed that this is to ensure that participants will not have unnecessary exposure to the virus due to alleged lack of health protocols among the police conducting arrests.

"Ang best scenario natin ay walang ma-arrest kasi sa rally itself walang problema kasi alam natin rules natin, 'yung health protocols natin, pero ang problema pag nahuli ka, walang masyadong health protocols 'yung pulis," he said.

Despite the pandemic, protest actions continued in previous months due to various issues that enraged militant groups, such as the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and the supposed blunders in the government's response to COVID-19.

For his part, Bayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes vowed that physical distancing, wearing of face masks, and distribution of disinfectants will be observed at the SONA rallies.

"Tingnan natin 'yung nangyari noong June 12 (Independence Day), I think we were able to gather more than 5,000 people na naka-physical distancing naman and wala namang nangyaring paglabag sa health protocols noong nangyari ang action na iyon," he said.

"We can expect the same level of discipline from the different organizations. As for the permit, yan po ay pinag-uusapan. May mga lugar sa Quezon City na hindi kailangan ng permit so tingnan natin."

Duterte will be delivering this SONA at the Batasang Pambansa, according to Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, on the other hand, said it is not yet sure if the 75-year-old President will be physically present at the venue. —KBK, GMA News