Philippine police nab 34 moviegoers for not standing up to national anthem

Philippine police have arrested 34 Filipino moviegoers for sitting out when the Philippine national anthem was played in a cinema, a police report released on Friday said.

The report said the Filipinos went to see the screening of the movie "The House of Us" at a cinema inside a mall in Lemery, a town in Batangas province south of Manila, on Thursday.

The national anthem called "Lupang Hinirang" is played before every screening in cinema but the 34 reportedly remained seated while the anthem was being played.

The 34 were detained at the town's police station while appropriate charges were prepared for filing in a local court.

Police said the 34 violated RA 8491 or an Act Prescribing the Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-of-Arms and other heraldic items and devices of the Philippines. It is also known as the "Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines."

"As a sign of respect, all persons shall stand at attention and face the Philippine flag, if there is one displayed, and if there is none, they shall face the band or the conductor," it said.

According to the law, any person or judicial entity which violates any of the provisions of the law shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than 5,000 pesos (roughly 93 U.S. dollars) not more than 20,000 pesos (roughly 371 U.S. dollars), or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

All citizens to stand at attention and sing with fervor, as a sign of respect, when the National Anthem is played at public gatherings.

Even moviegoers who do not stand up when the National Anthem is being played in cinemas will be sanctioned, as it empowers the security personnel and ushers in movie houses to arrest a violator and summon law enforcement officers to assist in conducting citizens' arrest.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-09/07/c_137451514.htm

34 arrested in movie house for disrespect of 'Lupang Hinirang'

For failing to stand up while the national anthem was played, at least 34 people were arrested inside the Cinema 2 of Xentro Mall in Lemery town in Batangas, according to a report on Unang Balita.

A video showed people standing up when "Lupang Hinirang" was played.

Some movie goers ignored the national anthem and remained seated. Some were seen texting while others continued eating and others were even locked in an embrace.

However, after the song was played, those seated were arrested.

Among the persons arrested were the spouse of a barangay chairman and a child of a mayor of a town in Batangas, for allegedly violating Republic Act 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines.

The penalty for violating the law is a fine for P5,000 up to P20,000 or imprisonment of up to one year. — BAP, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/666913/34-arrested-in-movie-house-for-disrespect-of-lupang-hinirang/story/

34 moviegoers nabbed for ignoring PH anthem

For ignoring the national anthem played inside a theater in Batangas province, 34 moviegoers are now in trouble, facing fines or a year in prison.

Chief Insp. Alfie Salang, police chief of Lemery town, said policemen took videos and photos of the moviegoers shortly before the screening of a romantic flick at a shopping mall on Wednesday afternoon.

After the national anthem was played and the movie was about to start, the police began arresting those who did not stand up.

Respecting PH flag

The 20-year-old Republic Act No. 8491, or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, requires the public to sing with fervor the national anthem, “Lupang Hinirang,” during public gatherings, such as at the initial and last screening of films or theater performances.

Upon conviction, the penalties include a fine of not less than P5,000 but not more than P20,000 or one year imprisonment.

Netizens were quick to chime in, as some said the arrest ought to teach the “basic duties of Filipinos.”

Others, however, described it as a prelude to a “state-enforced nationalism.”

“The arrest is overkill. It would be better if they (offenders) were reminded, rather than arrest them at once,” said Renato Reyes of the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.

Supt. Chitadel Gaoiran, spokesperson for the Calabarzon police, said “Oplan Bandila” only enforced what was stated in the law that people seemed to had long ignored. —MARICAR CINCO

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1029348/34-moviegoers-nabbed-for-ignoring-ph-anthem

Disrespect ‘Lupang Hinirang’, get arrested

Thirty-four cinemagoers were arrested on Wednesday night for not standing during the singing of “Lupang Hinirang,” the Philippine national anthem, inside Cinema 2 of Xentro Mall in the town of Lemery in Batangas.

According to Inspector Hazel Luma-ang, information officer of the Batangas Provincial Police Office, members of the Lemery Police Station apprehended violators of Republic Act (RA) 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines in Cinema 2 at 2 p.m.

“The operation resulted in the arrest of the suspects for not standing at attention and for disrespecting the Philippine national anthem while it was being played prior to the showing of the movie titled “The How’s of Us,’” Luma-ang said.

The suspects were identified as: Kenneth Mendoza, John Aldrin Castro, Jerson Catapat, Mark Anthony Cabrera and Mark Gil Mercado, Michael Bautista, Reymundo Hernandez, Ron Jeric Ribot, Kent Vincent Amor, and Klen Aljohn Montenegro, Joshua Noche, Amony de Sogon, John Mark Villastas, Domingo Agojo And Juan Aldovino 2nd, Karen Decepeda, Angola Marie Dimayuga, Marie Joy Reyes, Cashmere Kyra Montenegro and Leny Jane Villanueva, Cathsien de Castro, Rose Ann de Castro, Mary Jane Lausa, Kimberly Martinez and Justine Mercado, Cynthia Mae Vergara, Donna Mae Catapang, Aileen Sinag, Marinette Cacanlalay, Maria Marcellana, Catherine Liday, Kyra Mae de Castro, Melody Megallon and Gladys Montenegro.

They are detained at the Lemery police station while appropriate charges are being prepared for filing in court today.

Section 38 of the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines mandates that when the national anthem is played in a public gathering, the attending public shall sing the anthem with fervor.

“As a sign of respect, all persons shall stand at attention and face the Philippine flag, if there is one displayed, and if there is none, they shall face the band or the conductor. At the first note, all persons shall execute a salute by placing their right palms over their left chests,” the code reads.

The national anthem, however, would not be allowed to be played and sung preceding “events of recreation, amusement, or entertainment purposes.”

But the anthem may be played during the following: international competitions where the Philippines is the host or has a representative; local competitions; during the “signing off” and “signing on” of radio broadcasting and television stations; before the initial and last screening of films and before the opening of theater performances; and other occasions as may be allowed by the Institute.

The Oath of Patriotism (Panatang Makabayan) must be recited after the singing of the national anthem in basic education institutions. The Pledge of Allegiance (Panunumpa ng Katapatan sa Watawat ng Pilipinas) may be recited as well, though the law did not specify who is required to do so.

Section 20 of the law also states: “The observance of the flag ceremony in official or civic gatherings shall be simple and dignified and shall include the playing or singing of the anthem in its original Filipino lyrics and march tempo.”

Penalties for any person who violates any of the provisions of RA 8491 shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than P5,000.00 but not more than P20,000.00, or by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

All citizens to stand at attention and sing with fervor, as a sign of respect, when the National Anthem is played at public gatherings.


Even moviegoers who do not stand up when the National Anthem is being played in cinemas will be sanctioned, as it empowers the security personnel and ushers in movie houses to arrest a violator and summon law enforcement officers to assist in conducting citizens' arrest.

34 nabbed for disrespecting anthem in Batangas

Police officers conducting a surprise inspection inside a movie theater arrested 34 moviegoers who refused to stand up while the Philippine national anthem was being played before a film showing at a mall in Lemery, Batangas on Wednesday.

Batangas police director Senior Supt. Edwin Quilates said the violators were nabbed for disrespecting the national anthem and would be charged with violating Republic Act 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines.

The incident happened at Xentro Mall in Barangay Malinis at around 2 p.m., according to a police report.

The 15 males and 19 females were about to watch the movie “The Hows of Us” starring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla when “Lupang Hinirang” started playing.

Instead of standing up to acknowledge the country’s national anthem, Quilates said the moviegoers stayed in their seats.

“They did not stand in attention and disrespected the Philippine national anthem,” he said.

He said the violators were immediately accosted for their act and brought to the police station for investigation.

According to Insp. Hazel Luma-ang, Batangas police information officer, the Lemery policemen were conducting an operation against violators of RA 8491 inside the movie house.  

“The operation resulted in the arrest of the suspects for not standing at attention and for disrespecting the Philippine national anthem while it was being played prior to the showing of the movie entitled "The Hows of Us,” Luma-ang said.

Luma-Ang said the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, under Section 38, states that when the national anthem is played at a public gathering, whether by a band or by singing or both, or reproduced by any means, the attending public shall sing the anthem. The singing must be done with fervor.

She also said as a sign of respect, all persons should stand at attention and face the Philippine flag, if there is one displayed, and if there is none, they shall face the band or the conductor.

At the first note, all persons shall execute a salute by placing their right palm over their left chest. – With Ed Amoroso, Arnell Ozaeta

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/09/07/1849394/34-nabbed-disrespecting-anthem-batangas