Government prosecutors dismissed the charge for alleged violation of the Public Assembly Act filed against State abduction survivor Jonila Castro, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) reported.
NUPL president Atty. Ephraim Cortez said in a social media post that the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasig City found no merit to the complaint against Castro that she led the anti-corruption protest at St. Gerrard Construction’s headquarters last September 4.
The construction company is controlled by the couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya who had since admitted to paying off billions of pesos to corrupt government officials and lawmakers.
In the resolution, the investigating fiscal clarified that their duty as prosecutors is not only to determine whether a crime was committed, but also to identify who committed the alleged criminal act, Cortez pointed out.
Based on the evaluation, the identity of the person who is supposedly liable was not specified in the complaint filed by the police.
Aside from naming Castro as among those who participated in the protest action, the complainant failed to allege provide proof that Castro was a leader of the protest action, Cortez added.
“This is clear proof that Jonila was unjustly singled out by the PNP (Philippine National Police), and concocted an obviously baseless complaint against her. This was designed to silence her and to send a message to those who dare to dissent,” Cortez wrote.
Castro, currently Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment spokesperson, has yet to reply to Kodao’s request for a statement.
Meanwhile, the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP) welcomed the investigating prosecutor’s decision as “good news.”
“Malinaw na ang kaso ay wala sa hulog at tulak upang patahimikin ang mamamayang dama ang hirap ng kapuwa,” the Christian youth group said in a statement.
SCMP said that Batas Pambansa 880 used against Castro should not be used against the people’s right to protest.
“Sapagkat ang mga bitbit sa placard gaya ng ‘Ibagsak ang Burukrata-Kapitalismo!’ ‘Sahod, Itaas!’ ‘Kurakot, Managot!’ at ‘Alisin ang mga Marcos at Duterte!’ ay sumasalamin sa mga dasal at mga solusyong materyal sa dasal ng mga Pilipino. Maihahalintulad din ito sa karanasang Lakad sa Jericho (Jos. 6) na nagpabagsak sa lungsod,” SCMP said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
