Police arrests man for not standing during national anthem

A man was arrested in Clark, Pampanga for not standing while the national anthem was played in a movie theater. A report on GMA's "24 Oras" identified the man as Bayle Einstein Gonzales, 20, who reportedly refused to stand even when he was told to do so by Charge D'Affaires to Iraq Elmer Cato, who was also in the cinema. Cato was reported to have told Gonzales to stand up twice, but the latter refused to do so and instead ate popcorn. After the movie, Cato asked help from police officials to arrest Gonzales, who has denied the allegations. Gonzales will face charges of violating the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines and could be fined from P5,000 to P20,000 and jailed for as long as a year. (Man arrested for not standing during national anthem in movie theater; Published November 19, 2017 7:47pm; Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News) OPINION: The law may be declared unconstitutional for violating the right of the people to freedom of expression. "Disrespect of the flag" is a form of expression.