Organisers cancel Philippine Independence Day event: Police

SINGAPORE — Organisers have decided to cancel an event to commemorate the Philippine independence day at Ngee Ann City, the Singapore Police said.

In a statement sent to Channel NewsAsia today (May 27), the police said the organisers, the Pilipino Independence Day Council 2014 (PIDC), had withdrawn their application to hold the event at Ngee Ann City.

“This follows Police’s advice that there are public order and safety concerns with the venue proposed by PIDC,” the police said. It said the organisers had been advised to hold the event at alternative locations, such as Hong Lim Park and Suntec City.

The event, originally slated to be held on June 8 at the Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza in Orchard, drew a barrage of anti-foreigner comments online. The organisers reportedly also received abusive phone calls after they posted about the event on Facebook.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote on his Facebook page on April 19 that he was “appalled” to read about the online furore. Singaporeans “must treat people in Singapore the way we ourselves expect to be treated overseas,” he wrote. CHANNEL NEWSASIA