A FILIPINO lawmaker has been charged for supposedly organizing a violent rally against United States President Donald Trump during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit held in Manila last year.
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate was accused of inciting “attack” against police officers during an anti-Trump rally held on November 13, 2017 along Taft Avenue.
The complaint was filed by PO1 Ariel Miranda Ortega, who was among the police officers hurt during the demonstration.
Also named as co-respondents in the complaint were Vencer Crisostomo of Anakbayan, Renato Reyes of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna, and Einstein Recedes of Student Christian Movement (SCM).
“Sila po ang nag-uutos at nag-uudyok sa mga raliyista na lusubin ang police line (They were the ones who urged rallyists to attack the police line),” Ortega claimed.
He also remarked that the protesters are inciting violence but he and fellow members of the ASEAN crowd dispersal management team exercised maximum tolerance.
“Dahil sa ginawang paglusob ng mga raliyista sa amin, at ginawa nilang pamamalo, ako ay nagtamo ng sugat sa braso, na may hiwa at pasa, at nawalan ng malay (Because of the protesters’ attacks, I got cuts and bruises in the arms, and I also lost consciousness),” Ortega said.
Zarate, for his part, dismissed the charges against him as “nothing but a calibrated harassment against members of the Left.”
“Just to ensure that I would not be able to attend and question these baseless and trumped-up cases, the subpoena was served today when the hearing was held,” Zarate said in a statement on Tuesday, January 30.
Zarate was scheduled to face the prosecutor on Monday, January 29, but the subpoena was only served the day after.
The lawmaker also claimed that there were more protesters injured than the cops during the confrontation.
Zarate went on to say, “Together with my co-accused, I will face these cases knowing that we did nothing wrong; we’re just exercising our freedom of expression and right to assembly.”
