📷ACT Teachers President Antonio Tinio
ACT Teachers President Antonio Tinio strongly condemns the alarming incident last night where a police officer discharged his firearm in front of Representative France Castro’s vehicle while she was heading home from an event in BGC.
“This incident cannot be dismissed lightly. Let’s not forget that Rep. Castro is the subject of ongoing threats and vilification, both by government forces such as the NTF-ELCAC and by others, including the Duterte camp.” He noted that last year, former President Duterte issued a death threat against her, while Vice President Sara Duterte has been relentless in her personal attacks against Representative Castro. “Was it mere coincidence? The fact that a police officer chose to discharge his firearm directly in front of her vehicle, allegedly pursuing a motorcyclist, raises serious security concerns,” Tinio stated.
Tinio, himself a former representative of ACT Teachers and its first nominee, noted the leading role that Castro played in exposing the anomalies related to the use if confidential funds by Vice President Duterte and demanding that the former President Rodrigo Duterte be held accountable for grave human rights violations.
“Napakadelikado at hindi katanggap-tanggap na nagpapaputok ang mga pulis sa gitna ng traffic at sa harap pa mismo ng sasakyan ni Rep. France. Lalo pa’t may mga banta sa buhay niya,” he added.
Tinio supports Castro’s move to raise this matter before the House Quadcom and demands a thorough investigation from the Philippine National Police.
“We demand answers from the PNP leadership. Who were these officers? What protocols justify the discharging of a firearm in heavy traffic? Was this a legitimate police operation or a form of intimidation? The safety of progressive leaders and lawmakers and the general public must be ensured,” Tinio emphasized.
“Dapat tiyakin ang kaligtasan ng mga progresibong mambabatas, lalo na’t patuloy ang red-tagging, mga banta ,at panggigipit sa kanila,” he concluded. #
