The arrest of three men wearing balaclavas during the Bahain ang Luneta 2.0 protests on Sunday has raised alarm among Moro rights advocates, who warn that a newly enacted Manila ordinance could be used to discriminate against Muslim communities.
Police said the men, clad in military-style vests marked “PRESS,” were accosted and brought to a nearby station for allegedly violating City Ordinance No. 9134, which bans face masks, helmets, and other face coverings in public. They were later released without charges. The ordinance, passed on November 3, was intended to deter “criminals” from concealing their identities, but Sunday’s incident was its first known enforcement.
Moro-Christian Peoples’ Alliance Raises Concerns
The Moro-Christian Peoples’ Alliance (MCPA) warned that the ordinance could be weaponized against Moro women who wear the mastura or hijab.
“We raise this concern because some police officers might abuse their authority and include mastura-wearing Moro women in its enforcement. We have mastura-wearing Moro women who frequently join rallies,” said MCPA secretary general Amirah Lidasan.
Lidasan pointed to past incidents of police abuse, recalling the September 21 arrests of Moro youth, who she said were tortured simply for being bystanders near protest sites. She noted that Muslim communities near Ayala Bridge and Mendiola remain vulnerable to discriminatory policing.
“The ordinance may be used to intimidate and discourage Moro people from participating in anti-corruption activities,” Lidasan added, stressing Manila’s history as a predominantly Muslim kingdom before Spanish colonization.
Legal Experts Warn of Overreach
Human rights lawyers echoed these concerns. Atty. Ephraim B. Cortez, president of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), said the ordinance cannot justify warrantless arrests or “stop and frisk” searches based merely on suspicion.
“Law enforcers might use it as a tool to harass, intimidate, or potentially enable corruption,” Cortez warned, urging police to respect jurisprudence on lawful searches and arrests to ensure citizens’ rights are protected. (ZIA LUNA)
