Caloocan denies searching for anti-Marcos protesters

MANILA, Philippines — The Caloocan City government yesterday denied searching for the protesters who held a rally during a caravan of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

On Twitter, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) cited a source from Malaria, Caloocan that the city government launched a search for the protesters, who heckled Marcos’ caravan in front of San Roque Cathedral last Saturday with “Never Again” streamers calling the dictator’s family thieves and protesting the family’s return to power.

“Protesters on the ‘UniTeam’ Caravan on Feb. 19 are now being searched by a local government unit in Caloocan City,” read CEGP’s tweet on Monday night.

The Caloocan city public information office denied the allegation and said there is “freedom of expression” in the city.

“Not true. The Caloocan local government unit believes in freedom of expression,” the public information office said in a statement.

Marcos and his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte held a caravan last Saturday in Caloocan, where they were endorsed by outgoing Mayor Oscar Malapitan.