MANILA (UCAN): Video footage showed at least two policemen accosting churchgoers at at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, or Quiapo Church, Manila, the Philippines during a Mass for peace and justice on July 27.
Organised by the Archdiocese of Manila, the service was attended by civic, government and religious leaders to pray for the State of the Nation address of the president, Rodrigo Duterte.
The video showed police approaching people seated at the back of the church during the offertory and grabbing plastic bags that authorities later revealed contained posters and publicity materials against the anti-terrorism law.
“The bags contained placards and other materials but were not being raised nor used to cause any commotion. The policemen didn’t explain why they took the bags,” said Maricris Cabreros, spokesperson of citizens’ action party AKBAYAN.
Among those present at the Mass were a senator, Risa Hontiveros; lawyer, Howard Calleja; and De La Salle Brother Armin Luistro, all vocal opponents of the new law which they say contains vague provisions that can be abused by the authorities to commit rights violations.
Hontiveros said police authorities should explain why they seized the publicity material.
“I told him (Manila police director, Rolando Miranda) that we are expecting an explanation from them because people at the back of the church just brought the placards with them. They weren’t using them. I think they just brought them with them so they can go straight to UP (University of the Philippines to a rally) later. These people were not protesting inside the church,” Hontiveros said.
However, Miranda insisted that it was a “judgment call” on their part of the police ecause two people allegedly began taking out a poster to disrupt the Mass.
“The police officers deemed it necessary to confiscate the material. These people were being disrespectful in a house of God,” he said.
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Miranda also said that AKBAYAN had not violated any law but police decided not to return the seized items after the Mass.
AKBAYAN said it would file charges against the policemen because government authorities may only seize private property with a search warrant issued by a judge.
Manila’s apostolic administrator, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, was supposed to be the main celebrant but was unable attend as he is self-quarantining after testing positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus (Sunday Examiner, July 24).
