A multi-sectoral alliance of clergy, students, indigenous people, workers, and transport groups hold a peaceful demonstration against Charter Change, PGH Oblation Plaza, along Taft Ave. in Manila on February 23, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), which is joining a multi-sectoral protest against charter change scheduled on Sunday afternoon, called out what it said were efforts by the Philippine National Police to keep activists in the provinces from attending activities also meant to commemorate the 38th year since the 1986 People Power revolution.

According to reports on social media, activists heading to Manila from Los Baños and Santa Rosa in Laguna have been blocked and detained at checkpoints. Activists have also been stopped at checkpoints while headed to Iloilo city, Bayan said.

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"The police checkpoints were installed to harass activists, conduct illegal surveillance, and discourage people from joining the scheduled protests today," Bayan said in a statement. 

"They are a public nuisance, a waste of government resources, and a clear sign of police intolerance against any form of dissent." 

In a separate release earlier Sunday, Defend Southern Tagalog said that rented jeepneys ferrying activists to join the People Power commemoration at the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City were stopped by Los Baños police for being "out of line", or traveling outside their authorized routes.

Student publication UPLB Perspective reported that negotiations between activists groups and the police were still ongoing as of 11 a.m., around 4 hours since the jeepneys were stopped at the checkpoint.

The 1987 Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, of association and "the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances."

It also guarantees the right to travel "except in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health, as may be provided by law."

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The Philippine National Police said Monday that it will deploy 8,500 officers to secure activities related to the 38th anniversary of People Power across the Philippines.

Police Gen. Benjamin Accorda Jr., PNP chief, said around 2,500 police personnel would be deployed in Cebu and around 6,000 will be deployed in Metro Manila.

"We will be exercising maximum tolerance pero sana wala naman manggugulo," state-run Philippine News Agency quotes Acorda as saying.

"People Power anniversary marked by police harassment of peaceful protesters," Bayan president Renato Reyes Jr. said on social media platform X. "Takot sa People Power." 

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