|
COMMISSION on Human Rights (CHR) Chairman
Purificacion Quisumbing on Wednesday said that the arrested
investigator of the CHR who was caught carrying a gun during a rally
of militants and farmers should “be charged by the police.”
Quisumbing confirmed that Jun
Nalangan is a CHR investigator for the National Capital Region, and
was verified to be carrying a gun. “He did it contrary to his
mission order and contrary to the basic rules of the Commission. And
so we condemn this and we hope that the police will be doing their
job.”
Nalangan, it was learned, did not
have a mission order to carry a gun and was not wearing the CHR’s
uniform.
“The guidelines of the
Commission do not include carrying guns. . . The one who signed the
mission order is the Commissioner-in-charge of the National Capital
Region office, and that is Commissioner Wilhelm Soriano. I just
checked with him and he said he did not issue a mission order for
him [Nalangan] to carry guns,” Quisumbing said.
Nalangan was apprehended by
police on Tuesday during the rally of 3,000 farmers and militants
who commemorated the 21st anniversary of the Mendiola Massacre. The
protestors failed to reach the Don Chino Roces (formerly Mendiola)
Bridge, where 13 peasants were killed 21 years ago. After holding a
program at the foot of the bridge, the protesters dispersed
peacefully about 5 p.m.
--Ira Karen Apanay
|
