At least seven students from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) were hurt due to the ‘violent’ dispersal of the Quezon City police while holding a rally in front of the House of Representatives on Monday.
According to the Makabayan bloc, the students sustained wounds and bruises after the fierce confrontation as the police officers were seen pushing and hitting the protesters with their shields and batons, which was seen through a video taken by the university’s official student publication.
The PUPian demonstrators aimed to peacefully register their demand for the inclusion of student representation in the congressional hearing on the National Polytechnic University (NPU) Bill at the House of Representatives in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.
However, the police response to the protest was violence, leading the students to suffer wounds, bruises, and bumps, according to the PUP League of Filipino Students.
With the incident, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte condemned the violent dispersal of the Quezon City Police, saying that there will be zero tolerance for the cops’ conduct and ordering a probe into possible police procedure violations.
Belmonte continued that QC police chief Redrico Maranan had already met Batasan police’s station commander to remind their personnel about the proper action during protests.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), on the other hand, encouraged the police to exercise maximum tolerance and prevent them from using violence to stop protesters, reminding all agents of law enforcement that civilians have the constitutional right to peacefully assemble in public.
Meanwhile, the student protesters were concerned about the threat of commercialization and privatization in case the NPU Bill is enforced into law, making it difficult for the students to access education.
