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February 13, 2025 | 10:11am
Militant groups stage a protest rally at the corner of Recto Avenue and Legarda Street in Sampaloc, Manila after they were blocked by riot police from reaching the Don Chino Roces Bridge on Mendiola Street during the commemoration of Bonifacio Day yesterday.
Noel Pabalate
MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Prosecutors Office junked the illegal assembly charges against 10 Makabayan senatorial candidates and three activists, citing the lack of evidence to pursue the case.
The charges were filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Dec. 17, 2024, who accused the respondents of violating Batas Pambansa Bilang 880 during the Bonifacio Day protest on Nov. 30, 2024.
Manila police officials monitoring the protest claimed the senatorial candidates, two of whom are incumbent lawmakers, and activists did not conduct a peaceful assembly and allegedly assaulted and disobeyed authorities
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The city prosecutor, in a resolution approved on Jan. 27, 2025, however, ruled that the complainants failed to present evidence proving the protest was not peaceful.
Section 13 of the law states that only the leaders or organizers of a protest can be held liable for any violations, while mere attendees cannot be punished or held criminally responsible for their presence at the Bonifacio Day protest.
The prosecutor found no evidence proving that the 10 senatorial candidates and three activists were organizers of the event.
The resolution also noted that the alleged injuries sustained by the police were unsubstantiated.
“Even if there are isolated instances of commotion which are expected in a mass rally, it does not mean that the whole event is no longer peaceful,” the resolution read.
Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Wilbur Arimboyutan cited affidavits from several police officers stationed at the protest, which described the event as peaceful.
“It appears that the commotion was limited only at the time when participants from Recto Ave. were blocked by the Civil Disturbance Management Contingent while moving towards Mendiola,” they added.
Arimboyutan also noted that the protest concluded peacefully, with attendees voluntarily dispersing after the program, which was stated by some police officers.
Calls to repeal Martial Law-era rule grow
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) welcomed the resolution dismissing the charges after receiving a copy of the resolution on Wednesday, February 12.
“The dismissal, based on insufficiency of evidence, affirms what we have asserted from the beginning — these charges were nothing more than a brazen attempt to weaponize the law to silence progressive leaders and derail their electoral bids,” the group said.
The respondents’ legal counsel argued that Batas Pambansa 880 has frequently been used to suppress legitimate dissent and criminalize left-leaning or progressive protests.
“The dismissal of this case should serve as a call to finally repeal this draconian remnant of martial law, which continues to be wielded against activists and opposition figures,” the group urged.
Batasang Pambansa 880 was passed under the dictatorship of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. during Martial Law.
The senatorial candidates cleared of illegal assembly charges include:
- Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas
- ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro
- Former Bayan Muna Rep. Liza Maza
- Jerome Adonis, KMU secretary general
- Nurse Alyn Andamo
- Ronnel Arambulo, fisherfolk group Pamalakaya vice chairperson
- Mimi Doringo, urban poor group Kadamay secretary general
- Mody Floranda, transport group PISTON president
- Amirah Lidasan, Moro leader and Sandugo co-chairperson
- Danilo Ramos, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas chairperson
Meanwhile, the three other respondents are Bayan Muna’s third nominee and former Rep. Ferdinand Gaite, teacher Vlad Queta and Alliance of Health Workers unionist Cristy Donguines.
