Sitio San Roque folk appeal for release of colleagues, say they only want food

Residents of Sitio San Roque on Wednesday appealed to authorities to release their colleagues, saying they gathered to await the distribution of the promised food and assistance.

According to Ian Cruz’s report on 24 Oras, the Quezon City Police District has arrested 21 residents after they reportedly formed a barricade along EDSA service road amid the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

Josie Lopez, the community leader of Sitio San Roque, appealed to the QCPD to release her colleagues, saying they only wanted food for the table.

“Hindi nga po kami mamatay sa COVID-19, mamamatay naman po kami sa gutom at sa parusa ninyo. Hindi po dapat ganitong sistema ang ginagawa niyo sa amin,” she said.

One resident could not help but break down and said she only wanted food for her family.

“‘Yan na lang ang pag-asa namin ang magbigay ng pagkain sa amin para sa pamilya namin, wala kayong karapatang manghuli,” she said.

Lara Vargas appealed to Mayor Joy Belmonte, saying ever since the lockdown was implemented, her family has yet to receive any food packs.

“Simula noong lockdown, wala na ho kaming pera, wala na hong sagod, ‘yon ‘yong hinaing namin ditong mga mahihirap, wala ho kaming matatanggap kahit isang butil po, dilat na ‘yong mata namin. Sana maawa naman sila,” she said.

“Nagtatago ho siya eh wala kaming makausap dito na mayor,” Vargas added.

Jacinto Caminade, on the other hand, said local authorities neglected to give his family relief goods.

“Bibigyan daw kami ng pantawid gutom, bakit ngayon walang dumating kahit isa? Kahit katiting na bigas, walang dumating sa amin. Bakit ganiyan? Matagal na ‘yong COVID-19, bakit kami wala pa?”

Meanwhile, the QCPD said they already warned the residents to disperse but refused to do so.

The arrested residents were placed under the custody of the QCPD criminal investigation and detection unit and will face charges of violation of Republic Act 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal As One Act) and Republic Act 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act), according to QCPD director Ronnie Montejo.

Belmonte has appealed to the QCPD to release the detainees  for humanitarian reasons.

Moreover, Belmonte has already instructed city personnel to review the list of beneficiaries to make sure no one is left out for relief operations.

According to Rannie Ludovica, the action officer of Task Force Disiplina, some of the residents who protested were informed by an individual that food packs would be distributed to them in the morning, the reason they gathered along EDSA.

However, upon arriving at the area, residents discovered that there was no food distribution.

“Dito naman eh mukhang namisinform sila at nagamit ng isang organisasyon para pag-initin,” he said.

“Ang nangyayari ho kung hindi fake news kung hindi fake information, pinag-iinit lang ho ang mga emosyon ng mga naninirahan po diyan,” Ludovica added. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News