The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday said minors involved in the violent anti-corruption protests last Sept. 21 should undergo rehabilitation and counselling.
PNP acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. issued the statement following the release of 55 minors and 25 adults who were apprehended amid the disturbance during the demonstrations.
“The PNP respects due process and the rule of law. The release of the minors and adults involved was in accordance with established legal procedures, particularly the provisions of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act,” Nartatez said in a statement.
He said the PNP ensured that those apprehended were turned over to the appropriate authorities, and that the safety and rights of everyone involved were protected.
The Manila city prosecutor’s office referred the cases of the 55 minors to the Manila Department of Social Welfare (MDSW).
The MDSW required them to undergo community service by joining the clean-up drives of the city government as part of their “rehabilitation, reintegration and diversion.”
The prosecutor labelled them as “children in conflict with the law,” facing charges of illegal assembly, direct assault and malicious mischief under the Revised Penal Code.
Nartatez said while accountability must be upheld, rehabilitation and proper guidance should also be part of the process.
The PNP urged parents, guardians and local officials to play an active role in guiding young people and preventing similar incidents in the future.
For the 25 adult protesters, Nartatez directed investigators to coordinate closely with the prosecutors to ensure that charges are properly filed and supported with complete documentation.
Meanwhile, the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) confirmed that the city prosecutor directed the release of 25 adults detained by the Manila Police District stations in Moriones, Sampaloc and Barbosa.
“This development underscores that their detention since Sept. 21 clearly violated Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code, which limits warrantless detention to 36 hours,” the NUPL said in a statement.
The group reiterated its “urgent call for the release of all (people) arrested during the Sept. 21 protest rallies, including those belatedly subjected to inquest on Sept. 23.
“The government’s persistence in keeping them in custody, in open defiance of Article 125, is far more than a procedural lapse – it strikes at the very foundation of constitutional freedoms,” the NUPL said.
According to previous reports, 244 people were arrested by the police during the unrest, 91 of them minors.
