Gamboa to UP: Police your own activities, don't fully exercise your chartered independence

After the University of the Philippines in Diliman became the venue of protests against Anti-Terror law and during President Rodrigo Duterte's 5th State of the Nation Address, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa called on the university to not practice their "chartered independence" too much.

"Kung gusto ninyo magprotesta, sa UP...  but of course UP, tingnan ninyo rin doon because you should police your own activities there. Huwag ninyo masyado exercise 'yung chartered independence ninyo," Gamboa told ANC.

Various progressive groups conducted protest actions last Monday in UP grounds to air their grievances against the Duterte administration.

The protesters were supposed to hold the rally along Commonwealth Avenue but plans changed after the government  insisted that mass gatherings are still not allowed.

Groups from the labor, transport, education sectors, among others, participated in SONAgkaisa to highlight issues on health, livelihood, rights, and freedom.

The organizers of the event had placed markings on University Avenue to guide rallyists on where to stand to ensure social distancing amid the health crisis.

Police had monitored over 1,700 rallyists nationwide during Duterte's SONA.

Gamboa had welcomed the move of protest organizers and progressive groups to hold alternative forms of activities instead of holding mass gatherings at the risk of endangering public health.

On June 12, progressive groups also trooped to UP to hold protest actions to celebrate Independence Day and call for government action on mass testing and junking of the Anti-Terror bill.—AOL, GMA News