Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra yesterday warned that the arrest of people engaged in peaceful protests could force others to resort to more violent means.

Navarra was reacting to the arrest by the police in Manila of former Social Welfare secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman who is from Inayauan, Cauayan, in Negros Occidental, and Black and White Movement convener Vicente "Enteng" Romano III late yesterday.

Soliman, who was interviewed by the DAILY STAR by cellular phone last night, said she and Romano were being held at the Manila Police District headquarters and they did not know what charges were going to be filed against them.

"We did not violate any law, we were acting within our constitutional rights," Soliman said.

At 6:30 p.m. the group, wearing black T-shirts bearing the message "Patalsikin na, now na," was supposed to cross Roxas Boulevard in single file towards Baywalk, and mingle with the regular Friday strollers.

There were about 20 of us, we had no banners or streamers, we were on the sidewalk, and were going to cross the pedestrian lane like everybody else, Soliman said.

Our arrest is evidence of this administration's continued action to quell and scare people opposed to it, Soliman added.

It is evident that President Arroyo is implementing martial law-like tactics, she said.

Former President Corazon Aquino visited Soliman at the Manila police district last night to see how she was.

The police said Soliman would face charges for illegal assembly for leading a protest without a permit.

Philippine National Police spokesman Senior Supt. Samuel Pagdilao said Soliman violated Batas Pambansa 880 or the Public Assembly Act.

Soliman and Romano were released shortly before midnight pending further investigation, the police said.

Delia Locsin, one of the convenors of the Concerned Negrosanons for Freedom and Democracy, said the arrest of Soliman is too much.

That is evidence that our freedom of speech is really being curtailed, she said.

We have been looking for every non-violent means to deal with the present political situation, and the arrest of Soliman makes one think of engaging in more drastic measures, she said."*CPG

back to top