GMA’s
‘Heckler’ Charged with Public Disturbance
The
police has filed criminal charges against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s
“heckler,” Cavite State University (CvSU) graduate Maria Teresa Pangilinan,
even as Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez shelved his plan to sue her and
called to lay to rest the issue.
BY DENNIS
ESPADA
Bulatlat
Imus, Cavite (23 kms.
south of Manila) – The police has filed criminal charges against President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s “heckler,” Cavite State University (CvSU)
graduate Maria Teresa Pangilinan even as Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez
had shelved his plan to sue her and called to lay to rest the issue.
This, said Pangilinan, is
hypocrisy and an act of vengeance..
Pangilinan along with Bagong Alyansang
Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance)-Cavite secretary-general
Sheryl Villegas, Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) president Marlyn
Gonzales and fellow graduate Apolinar Dayandayan Jr. were accused of
committing public disorder under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code.
It was in connection with the anti-Arroyo
lightning protest actions held at the CvSU campus in Indang town while the
president was giving a commencement speech last April.
A few minutes before noon on May 23, the
four appeared at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office here where they filed
their counter-affidavit before Asst. Prosecutor Rosa Elmina
Catacutan-Villarin. They were accompanied by lawyers Evelyn Dominguez,
Walter Go and some youth supporters.
“This is for you”
In his counter-affidavit, Dayandayan
charged the police officers of illegal search and arrest when he was
accosted while in line waiting for his turn to receive his diploma from
Arroyo. That was on April 21 between 5:00-5:30 p.m. or more than an hour
after the last chanting of protesters, he said.
Later, the police brought him to the
station for questioning. “There, I was told by one of the police officers,
‘Sa iyo na lang ito (Take this),’ referring to the red flag,” he
stated. “They then took my toga, cap and other belongings and placed them
in a cabinet together with the red flag.”
Two pieces of paper that bear the words:
“No to Charter Change! Oust GMA! Never Again to Martial Law!” and a note
that read: “Apol, please respect other graduates. Don’t spoil our
preparation. This is not the right venue. Good luck. Sir Milo” were found
on Dayandayan’s body but these, he contends, do not prove anything.
Bulatlat
also learned that the only evidence submitted against Pangilinan, Villegas
and Gonzales is the joint sworn statement by PO2 Russell Sierra, PO2
Sherwin Chavez and PO1 Houdini Cuevas.
It said that while assigned
at the CvSU entrance gate about 4:45 p.m., they were informed by PNP-Indang
Chief PS/Insp. Mamerto Osea Malubay that a “disturbance” was happening in
the stadium where Arroyo was speaking.
“Protesting now a crime”
The accused argued that the
complainants’ statement showed they never saw them committing any crime.
“They acted only based on the
report given to them, which is nothing more but hearsay. It is not even
clear on the report to them what specific actions were being done that
could be interpreted as ‘disturbance’ on public order,” their
counter-affidavit read, as they asked the investigating public prosecutor
to entirely dismiss the case.
“Wala talagang pagsisisi
sa parte naming lahat at uulit-ulitin naming ‘Oust GMA’ pa rin (On our
part, none of us are sorry and we will still reiterate our ‘Oust GMA’
call),” Pangilinan told reporters.
“Ang magprotesta ay
itinuturing nang isang krimen (Protesting is now a crime),” she added,
“pero ang taong nandaya sa halalan, nangurakot ng kaban ng bayan,
kumitil ng maraming buhay at dahilan ng kawalan ng tirahan, edukasyon at
kabuhayan ay naroon sa Malakanyang at patuloy na nagpapasasa sa
kapangyarihang ninakaw din sa taumbayan at pinoprotektahan pa ng mga
ahensyang dapat na nangangalaga sa katotohanan at hustisya (but the
person who cheated, stole the people’s money, snuffed out many lives and
caused the loss of homes, education and livelihood is still in Malacañang
and continuously enjoying power stolen from the people and protected by
agencies that are supposed to safeguard truth and justice).” Bulatlat
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