QCPD files complaint vs. MANBIELA over 2-day transport strike

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) has filed a complaint against members of transport group MANIBELA for their alleged "disruptive behavior" during a two-day strike held earlier this month in the city.

According to the QCPD, it filed a complaint against Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon (MANIBELA) for three counts of violation of the Public Assembly Act of 1985, violation of Article 155 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) (alarm and scandal), violation of Article 151 of the RPC (resistance and disobedience), and direct assault upon an agent of authority.

The respondents include MANIBELA chairperson Mar Valbuena and MANIBELA president Regie Manlapig as well as Jasmine Bordalba Denition and Pacifico Dasalla Martin Jr., the owners of vehicles used during the rally.

“Despite multiple attempts by the QCPD to engage in dialogue, the group's leaders, including Valbuena, refused cooperation and ignored directives to relocate their protest to a freedom park,” the QCPD said in a statement released Tuesday.

The QCPD said MANIBELA also failed to secure a permit from the Quezon City government, which it said violated the law on public assembly.

"Their actions disrupted traffic flow, inconveniencing commuters and plunging the streets into chaos,” it said.

When sought for comment, Valbuena described the complaint filed against them as “harassment” with the intention of trying to silence them.

He also denied QCPD's accusations of the group's supposed "disruptive behavior" during the rally.

“We only just exercised our rights of Freedom of Assembly and Freedom of Expressions to air our grievances in a peaceful manner of protest,” Valbuena told GMA News Online.  —VAL, GMA Integrated News