Ex-DSWD chief arrested

[ARB]

sana d na pinalabas. hinulog na lang sa manila bay na may mabigat na bato nakatali!

[konde]

Gonzalez: Soliman's walk in the park violated 3 laws


Editor's Note: Published on page A1 of the March 19, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer


SHE may be raring to go promenading on Roxas Boulevard again but insofar as Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez is concerned, the stroll former Social Welfare Secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman tried to take the other day breached three laws and was punishable by up to 12 years in jail.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno appeared to see the matter differently, saying it was not official policy to arrest promenaders wearing protest T-shirts.

Soliman's five-hour detention by the Manila police the other night was criticized by both supporters and opponents of President Macapagal-Arroyo, with Senate President Franklin Drilon denouncing it as "a complete admission that any political dissent or political activity is prohibited and would be violently suppressed by this administration."

Soliman and Vicente Romano of the Black and White Movement were detained on Friday night after they tried to march down Roxas Boulevard wearing black T-shirts embossed with the message "Patalsikin na, now na!" (Out now).

The message did not say whom the group wanted out.

In a telephone interview, Gonzalez said his former Cabinet colleague violated the Illegal Assembly Law, Batas Pambansa 880 (which regulates the time and place where rallies are to be held), and the Local Government Code which empowers local officials to approve or disapprove applications for rallies.

Of all the laws Soliman allegedly broke, Gonzalez said the most "serious'' was the one on illegal assembly because it could put her behind bars for up to 12 years.

Freedom's limits

"She's liable to spend time from eight to 12 years," Gonzalez said.

He said Soliman's detention should make all Filipinos realize that all freedoms had limitations.

"You have a right to disrobe in your bathroom or your house, but not in a town plaza or a church,'' he said.

Gonzalez said he supported the decision of the police to detain Soliman and the others, claiming they were clearly staging a rally with their distinctive shirts and thumbs-down signs while walking along Roxas.

"We are ready to go after those violating the illegal assembly act, like Dinky, as seriously as we are going after those charged with rebellion, like (former Sen. Gregorio) 'Gringo' Honasan," he said.

Told that many people now felt the government was out to strip them of their right to assemble, Gonzalez said: "There are several laws that restrict the freedom to assembly. They should just follow the law so that nothing bad will happen to them.''

Uncovered

Soliman, who has been campaigning for President Macapagal-Arroyo's resignation since she and nine other key members of the Cabinet quit her administration last year, was uncowed.

"This would not stop me from expressing my opinion. We will continue to exact accountability from this government, as we have been doing since July 8, until this political crisis is resolved," Soliman told the Inquirer.

Martial law years

Former President Corazon Aquino was among those who went to see Soliman and Romano at Western Police headquarters.

Aquino said she was surprised by the police action and recalled that even during the martial law rule of Ferdinand Marcos, she and her supporters took part in protest marches but were not detained.

With the approval of prosecutor Nelson Salva, assistant prosecutor Glenda Ramos ordered the release of Soliman and Romano pending further investigation of the incident.

Outside Manila City Hall, where the inquest was held, members of BWM lit candles which they had arranged to form the word "FREE."

No charges yet

Aquino had volunteered to take Soliman under her custody but the city prosecutor said that this was not necessary.

Lawyer Marlon Manuel said that as of now, there were still no charges against his client.

MPD General Assignments Section chief Supt. Arturo Paglinawan earlier said: "They had no permit... If they were just out for a stroll at Baywalk why would they wear [similar] T-shirts? It's common sense."

Soliman and Romano were apprehended as they and about 50 other BWM members were about to cross Roxas Boulevard to Baywalk. Soliman said they were not carrying any placards or posters.

Flash mob concept

"(We have) the right to wear T-shirts. This is worse than martial law," Soliman said.

"We will continue with our silent protest. It is within the Constitution that we have the right to expression and the right to peaceably assemble."

Patterned after the flash mob concept, the so-called "Black Friday Protest" calls on people to gather at a designated time and place every Friday while wearing black as a symbol of protest. There will be no programs or speeches. Instead, people will be given specific instructions on what to do and the whole exercise should last about 30 minutes.

Secretary Puno said the arrest of Soliman and Romano was a "tactical decision" on the part of the police.

"I don't know the details. You might want to ask MPD director Pedro Bulaong. It was a tactical decision, not a policy," Puno said.

Just ignore them

Even administration congressmen said there was nothing criminal about what the Soliman group did.

Both Eastern Samar Rep. Marcelino Libanan and Baguio City Rep. Mauricio Domogan said the police should have just ignored them because there was no clear violation of the law.

"Anyone can wear a shirt that says, 'I hate Dinky's hair accessory' and get away with it," Libanan said.

Bro. Eddie Villanueva, head of the 3-million strong Jesus is Lord Movement, said the arrests "clearly showed how the administration has been using the police in repressing the rights of patriotic and freedom-loving Filipinos.

"May we remind the police and the military that the state is not the President. Their constitutional mandate is to protect the State and not the President," he said.

Clinging to office

Drilon condemned the arrests and said the incident showed that "the Arroyo administration has totally stripped itself of legitimacy."

"By causing the arrest of Baywalk strollers, Gloria becomes more repressive by the hour as she clings to office. For her and the nation's good, she should now resign," Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said. With reports from Jerome Aning, Norman Bordadora and Philip C. Tubeza

[FPJ]

nawala na yata si running priest ngayon, si dinky soliman naman ang umeeksena! Asahan nyo next election ay kakandidato ang loyal bespren na yan ni GMA.

[explorer]

illegal assembly... hmm...

sorry guys, bawal na yung ating mga tsikot.com EB ngayon. illegal assembly yan e. tsk tsk

exactly mbt! i was so surpise here in tsikot that there are many people who would rather like to see her jailed but miss the picture...oh well...i guess the 'people' deserve the goverment that 'they' have.

[oldblue]

that's our part of being responsible citizens. support the govt.

[Isuzoom]

Read Max Soliven column today...I thinks he is right pinanasin pa ang isang basura.

[GlennSter]

demn wala kaming star..ano sabi kahit summay lang isuzoom?

[kiper]

Mga sir, bakit may blue yung buhok ni Dinky?

what's up with the head band nga pala?

feeling may fashion statement na pinapakita..hehehe

kaasar lalo na pag pink pa ang sinuot... sarap

[davy88]

matagal na dapat kinulong yun traidor na yun. pinagbigyan nanga pagkatapos paiyak-iyak nung kinuha ni noli ang dswd position, magpapatugtog pa ng "if we hold on together" para kay GMA tapos kinabukasan magdedemand na magresign si GMA. gago!

[niky]

Anti-Necking Law.

Aggh!! Too much information!!!

As much as I dislike Dinky... based on the info, it was really a tactical mistake. They should have just left them alone. If they'd started blocking traffic and disturbing the peace... then arrest them... but as long as they're marching peacefully, and in not so big a group, let them... make them look as pitifully small as they are.

Again, the administration cocked up, and over-reacted... causing more publicity than necessary.