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Police arrest 34 people for not standing up for PH national anthem

Thirty-four people were arrested in Lemery, Batangas on Wednesday, September 5, after they did not stand when the Philippine National Anthem was played in a cinema theater in the town.

In a surveillance video of the operation called “Oplan Bandila,” the Lemery Police caught movie-goers remaining seated despite the announcement to stand for the National Anthem.

According to the Republic Act No. 8491 otherwise known as the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, citizens “shall stand at attention and face the Philippine flag” whenever the National Anthem is played at a public gathering.

This was recently called into attention by historian Jose Victor Torres who narrated on Facebook a similar experience. He wrote that despite the instruction over the speakers, he had to command people to stand before paying respect to the National Anthem.

“’Mga Kababayan… Ang Ating Pambansang Awit.’ Wala pa ring tumayo. Sa inis ako, nagsalita ako sa malakas ng boses na di ko alam na aalingawngaw pala sa buong sinehan. ‘Magna-national anthem na po. Magsitayo po tayong lahat!’ Nagtayuan bigla ang lahat. Di ko alam kung baka akala ng mga tao ay usher ako,” he wrote in his social media.

According to Lemery Police Chief Inspector Alfie Salang, they hope to implement the Republic Act 8491 strictly to encourage respect for the National Anthem.

Those who were arrested explained that were not aware that there were civilian guards inside the theater although they knew they should have stood up. One even added that they thought that the National Anthem was only a commercial, reported ABS-CBN.

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