• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Following the dismissal of charges by the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 4 on Tuesday, against several transport leaders in Bacolod City who were arrested during a protest against the modernization program last September 2024, the group has filed a counter suit against the police officers involved in the incident.
National Union of People’s Lawyer Atty. Rey Gorgonio stated that they filed a case with the Ombudsman against Bacolod City Police Office Director PCol. Joeresty Coronica and Lt. Col. Joery Puerto for the alleged violation of the Republic Act. 7438 and Article 131 or the Dissolution of Peaceful Assembly.
The charges stemmed from a September 18, 2024 incident where various transport organizations claimed that the police apprehended the leaders without clearly informing them of the specific charges, and that water cannons were reportedly deployed against the protesters in front of a hotel in Bacolod City.
Among those arrested and subsequently charged with violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code were Eric Bendoy, Rodolfo Gardoce Jr., and Rudy Cathedral of United Negros Drivers and Operators Center and Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers Inc., along with Lilian Sembrano of Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition, and other transport group members.
“We are very thankful to UNDOC-PISTON Negros for proving the illegal arrest of police to our transport leaders. We stand on what is right and we are only fighting for our respective livelihoods,” Bendoy said.
He also called on the police to respect their constitutional rights.
The dismissal of the charges is being hailed by transport groups and their supporters as a vindication of their right to peaceful assembly and a testament to the legal challenges faced by those who oppose government policies.*
