AUTHORITIES arrested five paralegals during a protest held outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Bonifacio Global City on Thursday, September 10, where the Luzon Economic Corridor Investors’ Forum was taking place.
The demonstration was organized in opposition to the PAX Silica project and related developments, which critics say prioritize foreign commercial interests over local communities and national development. The arrests reportedly took place as tensions rose between law enforcement personnel and the groups gathered to voice their concerns.
Among those taken into custody was Kenneth Castor, chief of staff of the University of the Philippines Office of the Student Regent, according to a youth organization advocating for genuine land reform and national development. His detention alongside other paralegals underscores the broad scope of the arrests, which have drawn condemnation from civil society groups monitoring the situation. Those apprehended were reportedly providing legal assistance and support to the protesters when they were taken by police.
The National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates Youth denounced the arrests, describing them as part of a worsening culture of intimidation directed at individuals and communities standing up against projects seen as harmful to the public interest. “This attack on paralegals is a clear indicator of a worsening culture of intimidation against individuals fighting a system that prioritizes foreign interests over our own,” the group stated. Authorities have yet to provide full details regarding the charges filed against the five paralegals or the circumstances that led to their arrest.
metrosundaily
