‘Freedom Park’ for protests proposed in Bukidnon capitol grounds

Freedom Park for protests proposed in Bukidnon capitol grounds By Walter I. Balane | Friday| September 14, 2012 | Filed under: Top Stories

MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/13 Sept) The Bukidnon Sangguniang Panlalawigan has passed a resolution urging Gov. Alex Calingasan to designate a freedom park in an area within the property of the provincial government where citizens can freely air their grievances and hold rallies and protests without need for securing permit.

Sponsored by board member Jay Albarece, a lawyer who worked with labor groups prior to his election in 2010, the resolution was passed in the aftermath of a string of protests led by Kaugalingong Sistema sa Igpasasindog to Lumadnong Ogpaan (Kasilo) for 12 families who evacuated from Sitio Kirangol, Dao in the municipality of San Fernando after reported harassments from paramilitary groups in the area on August 20.

Calingasan issued Executive Order 87 on September 3 providing stricter regulations regarding the assembly of individuals staging protests or creating infrastructures within the compounds of the provincial capitol which impedes the normal function of government offices.

Albarece cited that Article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provided that no law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.

Although admittedly subject to certain limitations, these rights of expression, of the press and to peaceably assemble form the very foundation of our democratic society and must therefore be protected and upheld, Albarece said in his draft, which was passed unanimously Wednesday.

He said to ensure the untrammeled exercise of these freedoms by the citizens without sacrificing public order, peace and security, as well as cleanliness in the provincial capitol grounds, there is a need to designate a portion of the capitol grounds as a freedom park where people can assemble and speak without fear of arrest, dispersal, or prosecution.

Board member Roland Deticio cited that Malaybalay City already has a freedom park and raised the possible problem of distraction in case a freedom park is designated when the province has formal functions like the Kaamulan festival.

Vice Gov. Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. said the area can be assigned away from the city center even if he submitted that it is now up to the provincial governor to identify its location.

There is nothing wrong if we have two parks, he added.

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‘Freedom Park’ for protests proposed in Bukidnon capitol grounds