Caloocan City Administrator Engr. Oliver Hernandez on Wednesday denied that the revocation of the permit for the Aksyon Demokratiko motorcade was politically motivated.
“Everyone is welcome in the city of Caloocan, as long as they comply with all the requirements and guidelines,” said Hernandez.
The administrator said his office received the Aksyon Demokratiko permit application to hold a motorcade and political rally/forum or assembly at 5 p.m. on February 24, via e-mail sent by the coordinator/authorized representative of the party, a certain Carlo Religioso.
The next day was a holiday (EDSA Day), so on the following Monday the CA’s office checked the organizer’s requirements and prepared the necessary permits, Hernandez said.
As part of the normal process for the issuance of a permit to conduct a motorcade, a copy of it is sent to the Caloocan police, Caloocan Department of Public Safety and Traffic Management, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, if the motorcade will traverse on major roads or national roads covered or under jurisdiction of the MMDA.
Most of the proposed Aksyon Demokratiko motorcade route was on major roads, so MMDA authorization is required, the city official explained.
Hernandez, however, found out from the MMDA that Aksyon Demokratiko did not apply for a permit with the agency.
As a result, the MMDA was unable to issue the party a permit, which led Hernandez to cancel the city’s initial permit for the motorcade.
Aside from the absence of a permit application with the MMDA, Aksyon Demokratiko’s activity also violated the guidelines issued by the agency, which states that motorcades or caravans must be conducted on weekends and holidays between 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Hernandez wanted to clarify that it was not politics but Aksyon Demokratiko’s non-compliance with all the requirements of the city government that led to the cancellation of their permit.
He pointed out that presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao was granted a permit to conduct a motorcade on Wednesday after his team complied with all the necessary requirements.
“I repeat, we issued the permit sought by Aksyon Demokratiko but was prompted to later on cancel it due to the party’s failure to comply with all of the city government’s requirements, which includes the go-signal from the MMDA. The cancellation was of their own doing, not ours,” said Hernandez.