Hundreds of activists and Davaoenos took to the streets of Davao City today, June 12, to commemorate Independence Day and denounce the Arroyo administration for alleged human-rights violations, particularly the killings of civilian members of cause-oriented groups like Bayan Muna. Click here for more pictures. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)
Independence Day Protesters Cry Harassment by Soldiers
By Cheryll D. Fiel
davaotoday.com
DAVAO CITY — Protesters from the various provinces in the region who joined the Independence Day rally today, June 12, denounced the military for harassing them and delaying them from joining their activities in the city.
Lisa Tindasan, 50, who had to bring her five-year-old grandson with her to the march because no else was going to take care of him, was in one of the vehicles held by the Task Force Davao (TFD) at the Tibungco checkpoint for more than three hours. She was with other protesters from Compostela Valley province.
Throughout the day, soldiers manning the TFD checkpoint in Tibungco ordered male commuters to disembark from their vehicles for inspection. Passengers viewed the exercise as harassment, more than anything else.
“We were left under the sun the whole time, hungry and thirsty, Tindasan complained. The military, she said, checked their bags and asked for the registration papers of the vehicles.
