A Philippine police van on October 19 rammed and ran over baton-wielding protesters outside the US embassy in Manila. / AFP PHOTO / STR
(Eagle News) – “It was pure insanity.”
That was how the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process condemned the recent violent dispersal done by members of the Manila Police District on rallyists in front of the United States Embassy on Wednesday, October 19.
In a statement issued by the OPAPP on Friday, October 21, it said it was “shocked and appalled with the violent manner the protesters were dispersed at the rally of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and their supporters in front of the US Embassy.”
“No amount of justification can cover up for the harsh and bloody breakup of the rally. We will not condone these unjustifiable acts and we expect expeditious actions,” the OPAPP statement said.
The Philippine government is currently in Oslo, Norway for the second round of talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF).
OPAPP said that such incidents would not help the cause of pursuing peace, which is the main agenda of the Duterte government.
“We are in the process of finding lasting, just and principled peace to end the war in the countryside. Through the peace processes the Duterte administration is pursuing, we aim to address the issues behind these protests.
It will be unfortunate if we will fail to achieve peace because of the propensity of others to use excessive force in dealing with dissent,” their statement read.
–Immediate, impartial investigation –
It demanded an “immediate, thorough and impartial investigation” of the incident.
“We put to task the ground commander of the police who failed to employ maximum restraint and pursue peaceful tact in dealing with the protesters,” the OPAPP statement read.
“We commiserate with all those who were hurt and wounded during the violent clash – protesters and policemen alike—which could have been prevented had cooler heads prevailed and reason reigned over heated passion,” it said.
OPAPP also appealed to and exhorted the side of the protesters to “be reminded that the government is addressing their issues.”
It also called on them to exercise restraint and refrain from provoking the policemen.
“Lastly, let not this incident prevent us from pursuing our goal of achieving elusive peace in our motherland,” it added.
