Five leaders of transport groups who were arrested while protesting in front of a Bacolod hotel were released from police custody after posting bail Wednesday night, Sept. 18.
Their sixth companion, Melchor Umangayon, who was charged with assault upon a person in authority was set to post bail late Thursday, their lawyer Rey Gorgonio said.
Released Wednesday night were Rudy Catedral – Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers (BACOD) president, Lilian Sembrano – Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition (KNETCO) president, Shallymar Leuthimer – KNETCO board member, Rodolfo Gardose – United Negros Drivers and Operators Center president, and Eric Bindoy – UNDOC secretary general, who posted bail of P3,000 each.
The police filed cases against the five before the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office for violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code for unjustifiable disobedience of lawful orders of persons in authority, PCol. Joeresty Coronica, Bacolod police director, said.
Umangayon, a member of BACOD, was charged for direct assault of a person in authority for throwing a stone at a police officer, Coronica said.
Gorgonio denied that Umangayon assaulted a police officer. He in fact fainted when he was hit by a water cannon trained on the protestors, he said.
The traditional jeepney groups are set to stage a nationwide transportation strike next week.
The six along with their companions were protesting in front of L Fisher’ Hotel at Lacson Street when they were arrested Wednesday morning, after they refused to disperse, Coronica said.
The protestors who obstructed traffic refused to leave despite repeated requests from the police and turned rowdy as firefighters started hosing them, he added.
They hurled stones at the police injuring two and damaged a firetruck, he said.
They staged the protest as a Visayas Public Transport Modernization Program Summit and the Philippine Commercial Vehicle Show was being held in the hotel.
The police is filing cases against the six arrested persons because they have long been given leeway, Coronica said on Wednesday, pointing out that they previously entered the lobby of the Bacolod City Government Center to stage a protest.
“I already gave a warning that the freedom of expression that they are insisting on is not absolute, there are limitations,” he said.
He said the police will file additional charges against the leaders of the transport groups for violation of Batasang Pambansa 880, which states that they cannot stage protests or rallies in areas that are not designated as freedom parks unless they secure a permit, he said.
The transport group leaders are set to hold a press conference on Friday to air their side.*