DENR Denies Releasing Pesticide Gas on Protesters

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has vehemently denied allegations that it released pesticide gas during a protest near its central office in Quezon City. The DENR issued the statement after activists from Southern Tagalog raised concerns over the smoke observed during their protest action. The agency clarified that the smoke seen was a result of routine defogging activities for sanitation purposes within the DENR compound. "The DENR respects the right of every Filipino to peaceful assembly. What occurred was routine office defogging – a scheduled sanitation activity conducted inside the DENR compound," the agency stated. "This procedure uses disinfectant mist, compliant with workplace hygiene standards. It is not used for crowd control." The DENR assured the public that no protesters were harmed. "While the mist may have been visible from outside the building, no chemical agents were directed toward the rally participants," the agency added. According to the official spot report of the Quezon City Police District, the protest rally held along Visayas Avenue "ended peacefully."