ELEVEN youth activists and campus journalists representing three student groups were arrested Saturday for allegedly not following social distancing protocols at the boundary of the towns of Subic and Castillejos.

The arrested individuals belong to the League of Filipino Students-Zambales, College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Central Luzon, and the University of the Philippines’ Manila Collegian.

The group was on its way to a Labor Day protest at Angeles City in Pampanga when police officers intercepted their van at 7:30 a.m., as recounted by LFS-Zambales.

Group members said they were first put on hold in a nearby checkpoint as cops “forcibly inspected their belongings and identities” even without an executive order.

“Matapos ang halos tatlong oras na pagne-negotiate, tila ba galit na ang mga pulis at tinakot ang mga miyembro ng LFS-Zambales na ibigay na nila ang kanilang personal na impormasyon, kahit ilang beses iginiit ng mga miyembro ang kanilang karapatan sa hindi pagbibigay ng impormasyon hanggang walang abogado,” LFS-Zambales said.

One of the LFS members claimed policemen posted their photos on social media.

The group, however, stressed the act breached their right to security and privacy.

“Bagama’t social distancing ang violation, ipinost ng mga pulis sa ‘Makatarungan Battalio’ Facebook page ang litrato ng mga miyembro nang walang consent.

Nakalagay pa nga sa naturang post na ang mga dalang panawagan tulad ng ‘Stop the Attacks’ at ‘Solusyong Medikal, hindi Militar’ ay inilarawan bilang anti-government slogans,” he said.

College Editors Guild of the Philippines said the government is using “Covid19 as an alibi to intimidate youth and journalists in their bid to write about workers’ grievances.”

“It is an outright violation of free speech, dissent, and human rights as baseless accusations were used to illegally keep hold of them. CEGP sees this as a clear manifestation of the terror law’s wrath that makes it much easier for Duterte’s cronies to bend and go above the law,” the group said.

The guild also urged Philippine National Police Castillejos to immediately release the arrested youths.

“CEGP stresses the need to focus more on the free, nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented Covid19 response rather than the continuous suppression,” it said.

LFS-Zambales, on the other hand, decried the arrest of its members.

“Mariing kinokondena ng LFS-Zambales, sa pinakamataas na lebel ng pagkokondena, ang tahasang paglabag sa karapatan, pangha-harass, at pagdudulot ng sakit sa mental na kalusugan ng bawat kasapi ng organisasyong ito na kagagawan ng kapulisan ng Castillejos, Zambales at ng elemento ng militar,” it said.

As of post time, the detained youth activists are being held at Castillejos Police Station.

Meanwhile, UP Office of the Student Regent also reported that 10 UPLB students were barred by police forces at the Los Baños-Calamba Laguna border checkpoint after joining protest actions.

UP-OSR said the alleged violation charged is the non-wearing of face shields.

“Police forces are attempting to take their IDs, threatening that ‘papatubusin daw sa munisipyo‘. The group is now in contact with the UPLB Chancellor and Vice Chancellors for Student Affairs and Community Affairs,” it said.