BY JOSEPH PEDRAJAS
*
POLICE arrested on Friday morning some 20 members of various progressive groups for staging a protest at Mendiola in Manila in celebration of the Pride Month.
The rallyists, mostly members of LGBTI+ group Bahaghari and Salinlahi, were turned over to Manila Police District (MPD) headquarters following the incident.
In a video uploaded by Bahaghari, they insisted that they practiced social distancing, refuting police accusations that they violated the measure, which was imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease.
The groups were calling for the abolition of the anti-terror bill and expressing their opposition to the jeepney phase-out when they were dispersed by the lawmen.
The MPD has yet to issue a police report, but MPD director Brig. Gen. Rolando Miranda confirmed the arrest of the protesters.
