黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Different groups and netizens have called out Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna after the local government released a memorandum requiring mall and establishment administrators in the city to secure special permits for events that would be held inside their facilities.

In a statement on Monday, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) Manila Chapter denounced the order from Lacuna, believing that it is an 鈥渦nconstitutional encroachment鈥� on the right to free speech and to freely assemble.

PFP鈥檚 Manila Chapter was referring to a memorandum dated January 20, 2025 issued by City Legal Officer Veronica Lladoc, requiring 鈥渁ll administrators of all malls and establishments holding special events in the City of Manila鈥� to secure a special permit before an event is allowed to proceed.

鈥淭he Partido Federal ng Pilipinas 鈥� Manila unequivocally denounces the recent directive issued by the administration of Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, which mandates that all events and gatherings 鈥� including private functions such as birthdays, baptisms and the like 鈥� must first secure a 鈥榮pecial permit鈥� from the Manila City Hall,鈥� PFP鈥檚 Manila Chapter said in a statement also posted on their social media page.

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鈥淭his directive constitutes an unconstitutional encroachment on the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. It is an overbroad and vague regulation that imposes unlawful prior restraint, a form of censorship that creates a chilling effect on the people鈥檚 right to freely assemble and express themselves.聽 Furthermore, it represents an arbitrary intrusion into private affairs, violating the right to privacy,鈥� it added.

According to the political party, Manila should be a safe space for residents to 鈥渃elebrate personal milestones without undue interference from the state.鈥�

鈥淭he City of Manila must not be reduced to an authoritarian enclave where excessive government control tramples upon civil liberties.聽 We stand for a lawful, just, and democratic city where rights are protected, not suppressed,鈥� it added.

There were also fears that the order was supposedly borne out of Lacuna鈥檚 opponent in the 2025 local elections, former mayor Isko Moreno, drawing crowds during town hall meetings in mall cinemas,

One Facebook user said it seems Lacuna is just afraid that Moreno would win in the upcoming polls.

鈥淧atawa ka masyado mayora, tanggapin mo na lang na di mo kaya kung sino man ang ihahalal na bagong Yorme (You鈥檙e such a joker mayor, just admit that you can鈥檛 take whoever will be chosen by the people as mayor),鈥� the comment read.

鈥淏akit niyo po ito gagawin kailangan po maging sport po tayo siguro naman pag maganda ang performance niyo po ipaglalaban kayo ng mga constituent niyo,鈥� another Facebook user added.

(Why would you do this? We need to be sportsmanlike. I鈥檓 sure that if your performance is good, your constituents will fight for you.)

There were also claims that the memorandum is fake, but Manila spokesperson Princess Abante聽confirmed to the 黑料社 that the memorandum was indeed issued by the Office of the City Legal Officer.

However, Abante noted that the memorandum is just a reiteration of City Ordinance No. 8331 that was passed last October 2013.

鈥淚 can confirm that the memo was issued by the Office of the City Legal Officer but this is just a reiteration of the Ordinance No. 8331, passed on October 2013,鈥� Abante said in a message.

Abante furthermore clarified that the memorandum just requires establishments to secure special permits if the event would be classified outside the bounds of regular use, as specified in the malls and establishments鈥� business permits.

鈥淭he provision in the Ordinance requires establishments to secure a special permit for activities and events outside the usual and regular use as authorized in their business permits. Events that are part of their usual and regular activities are not covered by the provision of this Ordinance,鈥� she noted.

But the PFP said that the right to gather is not a privilege, but a fundamental right that governments cannot restrict.

鈥淭he right to gather and hold private events is not a privilege but a fundamental liberty that cannot be restricted through sweeping and oppressive regulations,鈥� PFP鈥檚 Manila Chapter said.

鈥淯nder the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas 鈥� Manila reaffirms its commitment to upholding and defending the constitutional rights of every Manile帽o,鈥� it added.