Nicanor Perlas

18 November 2021

The Philippine Resistance Against Covid Tyranny (PRACT) held a rally against mandatory vaccinations yesterday at the Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC) in Quezon City, National Capital Region. PRACT successfully informed around 200 people of the general public regarding the dangers and illegality of mandatory vaccinations.

Almost 50 PRACT members attended the protest. The PRACT members came from different organizations and these individuals formally signed their commitment to PRACT. This activity was one of a number of goals of the rally.

PRACT signs read: “Mandatory vaccination violates human rights.” “Forced vaccination is a form of rape.” “Huwag babuyin ang mga anak namin.” (“Do not mess around with our children”. “My immune system is 2,700% more effective than your vaccines.” “F**k the Fact Checkers.”

What seemed to be a looming disaster for PRACT turned out to be a key factor in the success of the protest. While PRACT members were meeting, a group of around 40 personnel of a combined security force came to the area of PRACT and ordered the protestors to disband and leave the area.

The combined security force consisted of the QMC security, the security of the Office of the Mayor of Quezon City (QC), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) assigned to collaborate with the Office of the Mayor.

Nicanor Perlas, spokesperson and lead Co-Convener of PRACT, went to the combined security force to ask what their issue was. The head of the various security forces said PRACT had no permit to rally. Perlas, also Editor-in-Chief of CCH, responded that the Quezon Memorial Circle was an officially designated “Freedom Park” as declared by a previous Quezon City government as well as being listed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

As such, PRACT did not have to procure a permit to rally. But out of courtesy, PRACT informed the administrator of QMC that they would be having a protest yesterday. Perlas showed the security forces a copy of the said letter, the law, and the DILG proclamation.

The combined security of the park and Quezon City ignored the documents. They claimed that they had orders to follow even if they had nothing to show except for their bullying tactics. Perlas rebutted saying that the top law in the land is the Philippine Constitution. All laws, whether congressional or executive issuances, that violated the Constitution were illegal. The Constitutional rights to life and peaceful assembly were being violated by their abusive covid regulations. Therefore the local government orders were illegal and void.

The security forces refused to budge. They continued to demand that PRACT protesters disperse. The conflict intensified. A verbal clash followed. Spontaneous debates erupted as other members of PRACT debated other security officers. Meanwhile, the public started observing the debate and near and not so far. A reasonable crowd gathered and they saw the dramatic placards and signs of PRACT. Many of them agreed with the PRACT protests.

Even more significant than the successful protest is the fact that PRACT members demonstrated that they could not be intimidated by police forces. Initially they were anxious to see what would happen. But, spurred on the blatant disregard of law by the so-called “law enforces”, PRACT members stood their ground.

This proven on-the-ground resistance by PRACT members has a huge message. The government and media spent 18 months trying to instill fear in the Filipino public. To a large extent, they have been successful. But, through their own independent thinking and research, PRACT members removed their fear and confronted the police power that would continue this fear.

The fact that they were able to do it means that others can also do this form of self-empowerment.

This individual and collective courage were successful. The well-known artistic celebrity, Pen Medina, a PRACT member, took up the offer of the security force to dialogue with the assistant administrator of QMC. The latter then allowed PRACT to finish with its protest as PRACT still had to leave and go to the Commission of Human Rights.

Before leaving, PRACT then went to the Office of the Administrator of QMC. Perlas wanted to ensure that there would be no repeat of the verbal clash between PRACT and the combined security forces of QMC, QC, and the PNP.

The entire assembly trooped to the administrative office of QMC. There, Perlas and Medina met with the assistant administrator. The latter questioned the authenticity of the claim that QMC was a freedom park. He said he was familiar with the law. But he wanted to see the actual ordinance from the city and the explicit memorandum of the DILG regarding listing QMC as one of the Freedom Park in the National Capital Region. If this were demonstrated, then QMC would have no objections against PRACT using the QMC to stage their rallies against Covid tyranny.

Perlas informed the assistant administrator that they would produce this document. He also informed him that PRACT intends to continue its protest in QMC.

With this important resolution of the conflict, PRACT then marched to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to have their dialogue with the Chairwoman of CHR. The latter was not able to confirm due to the short notice of the request. PRACT then proceeded to the CHR Freedom Park for their final program.

See some of the photos below