Press Release
September 10, 2007

ESCUDERO WARNS DEPLOYED COPS, MILITARY ON WEDNESDAY

Opposition Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero today warned police and military men deployed on Wednesday for the verdict on former President Joseph Estrada to exercise with prudence their role within the bounds of what their duties only call for.

The neophyte senator reminded the police and military to constantly put to mind the very reason for their presence in the event that supporters of Erap assemble to show support to the beleaguered president. "Our law is clear on the presence of police during rallies and that is to protect rallyists and bystanders and not to intimidate them and curtail their right to exercise a peaceful assembly."

Escudero issued this caution after some 6,000 police and military men were deployed two days before the Sandiganbayan promulgates the former president's perjury and plunder cases, in anticipation of possible troubles from Estrada's supporter.

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, Escudero said they "will go hard on any police or military personnel who will go beyond what is only called for by their duties." He added that the committee will closely monitor the situation on Wednesday for any human rights violations from both sides of the rallyists and the anti-riot police.

"We would like to remind everyone to initiate actions that protect and guarantee human rights as provided for and enshrined in the Constitution. Anyone who crosses this line will have to answer in our courts of law."

Escudero finds the presence of a big police troop and the deployment of military troops from the National Capital Region as a contingency force an excessive reaction from the government. He said that while there is a need to be vigilant about possible sectors who may take advantage of the situation on Wednesday, the number of troops deployed on that day is overkill.

"There seems to be an atmosphere of paranoia among the people in the administration. The number of police contingent should be more than enough if crowd control is what they are only after."

He added that instead of sending our military troops and its arsenal to the street and face an imagined war, the government should instead send them to Mindanao where they are much needed to augment our walloped military force which is facing a real war against insurgents.

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