Gabriela slams LTO personnel’s ‘violent’ arrest of farmer in Bohol
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MANILA, Philippines — Gabriela Women’s Party on Sunday denounced the Land Transportation Office (LTO) personnel’s “violent apprehension” of a farmer in Panglao, Bohol, calling it an abuse of power and excessive force against ordinary citizens.
“When did it become the LTO’s mandate to arrest farmers? This incident clearly shows an abuse of power and excessive use of force by government agencies against ordinary citizens, especially those from marginalized sectors,” Gabriela party-list second nominee Cathy Estavillo said in Filipino.
A viral video of the incident showed LTO personnel apprehending a motorcycle rider carrying a knife, who repeatedly said he was a farmer.
One enforcer was seen pinning the man down on top of a motorcycle and threatening him with the knife.
According to Estavillo, the farmer’s family has questioned the legality of the arrest and is preparing to file complaints against those involved.
Article continues after this advertisement“We condemn the violent treatment of the farmer. This reflects the prevailing culture of impunity in our country. Our farmers continue to be victims of violence and discrimination, even though they are the ones who feed us,” she added.
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Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon has ordered the immediate preventive suspension of all LTO personnel involved pending the investigation.
“This will remain in effect pending the completion of a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the event,” the DOTr said in a statement.
READ: DOTr chief orders suspension of LTO personnel involved in viral Bohol video
Estavillo stressed that suspending the enforcers involved was not enough.
“Those responsible must be held accountable for their actions,” she said, adding that LTO Region 7 has yet to clarify the basis of the arrest.
The Gabriela party-list nominee also urged the Department of Transportation and LTO to review their protocols and ensure that law enforcement personnel uphold human rights.
“We stand with the farmer and his family in their pursuit of justice, and we will continue to monitor this case to ensure proper accountability,” she added.
READ: LTO orders retraining of enforcers after viral Bohol incident
In response to the incident, the LTO has also ordered mandatory retraining for all its enforcers nationwide to prevent similar cases in the future.
“The incident that happened in Bohol calls for a deeper and systematic approach to ensure that this will not happen again in the future. So we will be holding retraining for all LTO enforcers nationwide, and it’s mandatory,” LTO chief Vigor Mendoza said on Sunday.
