PASAY POLICEMEN REPRIMANDED FOR BLOCKING
SENATE-BOUND FARMERS

Members of the Pasay City Police were reprimanded by senators yesterday for blocking a group of farmers from the Visayas from proceeding to the Senate to witness floor deliberations on the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

At a public hearing of the committee on agrarian reform chaired by Sen. Francis Pangilinan, the policemen led by Chief Inspector Segundo Lagundi, said they prevented some 200 farmers from marching towards the Senate in the afternoon of Feb. 13 because they did not have a permit from the office of Pasay City Mayor Peewee Trinidad.

The Pasay City Police was also represented at the hearing by Senior Supt. Raul Petrasanta, Pasay Chief of Police; Supt. Reynaldo Ulic, Deputy Chief of Police for Operation; and Senior Insp. Joy San Luis, Chief for Tactical Operation.

The farmers, some of whom were barefooted, were invited by the Minority Leader to the Senate session to listen to his privilege speech on the plight of tenant-farmers who are still waiting for the distribution of lands to them under the CARP.

The policemen refused to let the farmers pass through despite their explanation that they were invited guests of the Senate.

When the farmers failed to show up at the session hall by 3 p.m., Pimentel sent his aide Omeng Maglangit to inquire on what happened.

Maglangit said that when he met with the farmers, they were in front of the Film Center still negotiating with the policemen for permission to enter the Senate premises.

He said he identified himself as a staff member of Pimentel and requested Police Inspector Geronimo Diaz to allow the farmers to continue march to the Senate.

When his plea was ignored, Maglangit said he called up Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Jose Balajadia.

Balajadia told the committee that Maglangit had earlier coordinated with him on the arrival of the farmers. He said he agreed to allow from 20 to 50 of the farmers inside the session hall, and to exempt them from the dress code.

He said that Maglangit was able to contact him only after Pimentel had already delivered his privilege speech. He admitted that the Pasay City Police did not coordinate with his office on the handling of the farmers.

Balajadia said that the Pasay policemen should have readily allowed the farmers to proceed since there was a request from Sen. Pimentel, which was verbally and personally confirmed by his staff member.

But he also admitted that the Film Center area was not under his jurisdiction anymore adding "I could not do anything about it."

Pangilinan said the policemen overreacted by refusing to allow the farmers to proceed, in the process showing disrespect for the Senate.

"And for you to try to cover up your mistake, that is another wrongdoing," he said.

Pimentel said the policemen gave no justifiable explanation for their erroneous action, for which they may be held liable for sanctions.

"You are doing your job as far as you can see. But you have to balance things out. You have an obligation to secure the area leading to the Senate. But you can do this without infringing on the right of the ordinary people to directly bring their grievances to the Senate," he said.