KADAMAY hit soldiers’ presence in Metro Manila barangays

KADAMAY hit soldiers’ presence in Metro Manila barangays

Manila-- News sources said that soliders have been sighted in a number of barangays in Quezon City and parts of Metro Manila, and the deployment is a purported attempt to flush out activist leaders, an urban poor group said.

For the past two months, Army troops have camped out at the halls of densely populated barangays in the Metro to “harass” militant leaders there, said Ed Legson of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay).

KADAMAY said: “They’ve been knocking on the doors of residents to ask questions about the activities of organizers in the area. They keep asking about members of Anakpawis, Gabriela, and other groups,” he added. Legson said the military detachments were posted at Barangays Holy Spirit, Payatas, Batasan Hills, Commonwealth, and Bagong Silangan in Quezon City, as well as Pandacan, Sta. Mesa, and Tondo districts in Manila.

Kadamay and Anakpawis leaders who held a dialogue with the military detachment in Barangay Commonwealth yesterday said they were told that they were in the area to provide basic services. But Legson said they had yet to see evidence of the “services

News sources learned that former general Jovito Palparan has been hired as "security consultant" for the Deaprtment of Justice (DOJ) in Manila. '

Earlier, a company of army soldiers have been deployed around the Manila areas near Malacanang palace district of Pandacan.

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