FIVE paralegals were arrested on September 10 during a protest against the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials were attending the Luzon Economic Corridor Investment Forum.
Human rights group Karapatan said three paralegals—Jona Yang, Kenneth Castro, and Mara Peralta—were arrested during the police dispersal of protesters. They were brought to the Tuktukan Police Station in Taguig.
Two other paralegals, Daya Juliano and RC Placido, were later arrested after going to the police station to provide assistance to the initial detainees, according to Karapatan.
Karapatan condemned the arrests, describing them as arbitrary and a violation of the right to peaceful assembly.
The group said the arrests reflected what it viewed as a broader crackdown on those opposing the Pax Silica initiative.
The protest coincided with the inaugural Luzon Economic Corridor Investment Forum, which brought together government officials, investors, and industry leaders to discuss investment opportunities and projects in Luzon.
Protesters opposed the proposed Pax Silica project, raising concerns over its potential environmental and social impacts, including land conversion, resource consumption, and possible displacement of communities.
The demonstration turned tense as police and protesters clashed near the hotel. Police said 16 officers were injured, while protest groups reported 27 injured activists.
Southern Police District officials said they intend to pursue complaints for illegal assembly and direct assault, while maintaining that police exercised maximum tolerance during the dispersal.
The conflicting accounts highlight the continuing dispute over the conduct of the dispersal and the arrests, as rights groups call for the protection of peaceful assembly while police defend their response to the confrontation.
