PRESS STATEMENT
November 10, 2026
NUPL welcomes the acquittal of two clients represented by its National Capital Region chapter and Adamson University College of Law. This marks the fifth acquittal involving clients assisted by NUPL, NUPL-NCR, and Adamson University College of Law, following the arrest of more than 50 individuals amid reports of physical assault, torture, and detention for days in cramped cells, as well as one bystander casualty.
The case demonstrates that suspicion, accusations, and fabricated charges cannot substitute for proof beyond reasonable doubt. Criminal convictions must rest on evidence establishing guilt beyond reasonable doubt, not on conjecture or unsubstantiated allegations.
The arrests during the September 21 rally against widespread corruption involving billions in public funds, including those intended for flood-control projects, affected not only protesters but also bystanders and those who had merely expressed solidarity with the cause. These arrests raise serious concerns about the indiscriminate exercise of police powers, where even individuals who have committed no offense may be subjected to arrest and detention.
Such practices undermine the right to peaceably assemble, stifle dissent, and instill fear among those who speak out against injustice. Far from being isolated abuses, they reflect the continuing use of police powers to suppress protest and discourage collective action.
We commend the law students who took part in our clients’ defense. Their acquittal is a hard-won victory, but it cannot undo the injustice of their arrest and detention. Those responsible for the abuses committed during the September 21 crackdown must also be held to account. ###
Photo credit: Atty. Arman Hernando
