The Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office has subpoenaed environmental activist and Karapatan national council member Jonila Castro in connection with the Sept. 4 rally outside the Discaya-owned St. Gerrard Construction compound.
The subpoena, dated Sept. 15, stems from mud-throwing and vandalism during the rally. It orders Castro to submit a counter-affidavit and appear before the prosecutor’s office on Sept. 25 for alleged violation of Batas Pambansa 880, or the “Public Assembly Act of 1985.”
In a statement released Friday, Sept. 19, rights group Karapatan condemned the move, saying the protest highlighted ongoing corruption in government.
The group cited “billions of pesos lost to anomalous infrastructure projects, including overpriced and substandard flood control programs that fail to protect—and even worsen—the conditions of affected communities.”
Karapatan also criticized BP 880 as a Marcos-era law designed to suppress public dissent, calling for its repeal.
The group described the charges against Castro as a deliberate attempt to deflect attention from corruption and persecute those who expose and resist systemic abuse.
Castro, responding to the complaint, said it reveals who authorities are truly protecting.
“Inilalantad ng kasong natanggap ko ngayong araw mula sa kapulisan kung sino ang tunay nilang pinoprotektahan—hindi ang mamamayang makatwirang naglalantad ng katotohanan at nananawagan ng katarungan, kundi ang mga tulad ng mga Discaya na magnanakaw,” she said.
“Ang sumambulat na korapsyon at ang nagpapatuloy na pag-atake sa lumalaban ay patunay ng sagad na kabulukan ng sistema.”
She added that it is the people’s right to speak out, demand accountability, and protest—especially in the face of blatant corruption. (Richielyn Canlas)
