Human rights issues come to fore in aftermath of Parañaque violence

In the aftermath of the demolition that turned violent Monday in Silverio Compound in Parañaque City, human rights issues are coming to the fore as one resident was killed and 39 others reportedly injured.   In an interview with GMA News, Commission on Human Rights chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales said she found the acts of the police condemnable.   "Obviously, walang disiplina ang mga taong ito. Sa napakarami-raming training sa kanila, pasok sa isang tenga, labas sa kabila," Rosales said.   "Buti sana kung nasa malayong lugar sila. They are right under the nose of Camp Crame,"  she said, referring to where the Philippine National Police is headquartered.   Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo told GMA News Online the incident is under investigation.   "Ini-imbestigahan na namin, lalo na't may residenteng napatay," Robredo said.   Maximum tolerance is the policy of police and military, to maintain the highest degree of restraint during a public assembly or in the dispersals.   Robredo said it was clear that the police exercised maximum tolerance at the start noting the police were merely standing in the street when they were attacked by the residents.   "Ang mali lang… dapat ‘yung nahuli na hindi na sinaktan," Robredo said, referring to how those who were arrested were punched and hit with truncheons over the head by policemen even in front of television cameras.   Also to be investigated are members of the Parañaque SWAT team, after video footage showed one of them firing his automatic weapon toward the people.   Warning shots are now prohibited in the police standard operating procedure.   Of the 39 injured, 25 were civilians and 14 came were from the ranks of the police. SM denies involvement   In response to reports and tweets and posts on Facebook linking mall chain SM to the demolition, SM Development Corporation issued a statement denying ownership of Silverio Compound, of any plans of developing the area into a condominium project, or of any involvement in the violent dispersal.   "SMDC was only made aware of what is happening in the Silverio Compound through the news that it received from media and social network sites. We are also not aware of the reason why our company’s good name is being dragged into this unfortunate incident," the statement read.   SM is currently receiving a lot of flak from environmentalists for its plan to uproot 182 trees in connection with its development plans for SM City Baguio.   Killed in the Parañaque melee was Arnel Leonor, 20, who suffered a head wound. The mother of the victim, Glenda Leonor, said her son skipped work because of the chaos.   "Hindi ko nga po alam ang gagawin. Nagtanong ako sa pulis, ‘di raw nila alam. Hayun nakita ko nakahiga ang anak ko, patay na. Bakit nila dinamay ang anak ko," she said in an interview with GMA News.   Others injured were Gerald Morada, 15, whose teeth were broken and his jaw was smashed at the height of the violence.   Christian Nasipit, 20, was shot in the leg. He said he was just taking recording the unfolding incident on video when he felt a bullet hit him in the right leg.   He was able to record the residents throwing stones and the police firing back before he felt the gunshot. "Naramdaman ko na lang namamanhid binti ko. ‘Di na ako makagalaw."   Nasipit was brought to the Florencio Bernade Sr. Memorial Hospital.   Morada, who works in a food stall, was closing the shop along with his co-workers when he was hit by a stray rock which smashed his right jaw, said Marlyn Sevilla, a co-worker who did the talking for Morada who couldn't talk.   "Pinagpalo na lang ako, karamihan sa ulo," said Brian Tagudar, a civilian, narrating how he was beaten by a truncheon-wielding officer.   Alex Casanova, also a civilian, was also hit in the head several times with a truncheon.   "Hindi naman ako kasali. Nadaan lang dahil trapik, pero pinalo ako at sinama rito," he said. A violent history of demolitions   Violent demolitions are quite common in the Philippines–residents clashing with law enforcers. Last January, at least 40 people were injured in Corazon de Jesus Village in San Juan City after residents threw stones, Molotov bombs, and other objects at more than 100 police who fought back with tear gas as firefighters hosed the residents with high-pressure water.   San Juan City Engineer Danilo Mercado was hit in the head with one of the objects thrown by the residents.   Last September, at least 14 people were injured in a seven-hour standoff,  as residents and police clashed during a large-scale demolition near the Quezon City (QC) North Triangle where over 130 makeshift homes were taken down.   In August last year, early rush-hour traffic along Commonwealth Ave. was snarled when violence erupted at a demolition in Old Balara, Quezon City.   Last June, Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte grabbed the headlines when she beat up a sheriff who was trying to enforce a demolition order at a squatters’ community in the city even after she asked him to wait for her.   Duterte said she wanted to be present during the demolition to keep violence from erupting. —VS, GMA News