Jason Gutierrez
MANILA – Tens of thousands of fed-up Filipinos took to various points in Manila on Sunday (September 21) for a day-long protest against alleged massive corruption tied to anomalous infrastructure projects that have led to a shakeup in Congress amid widespread calls for reforms.
Angry protesters, many garbed symbolically in black, torched a steel container van that police used to block a bridge leading to the presidential Malacañang Palace compound, while hurling bottles and rocks towards the police.
Protesters, mostly youths, engaged police in a violent cat-and-mouse game near the presidential palace that lasted until 8 pm. By day’s end, police said 49 people – 36 adults and 13 minors – were arrested for “violent behavior, including stone-throwing and acts of arson.” At least 70 police officials were injured.
Acting national police chief Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr said: “Our police units worked hard to keep everyone safe today. While there were some isolated incidents, including a trailer truck set on fire at Ayala corner Romualdez by a few unruly protesters, most rallies went on peacefully because many participants cooperated with the authorities.”
There were more than 60,000 protesters scattered in different locations in and around Manila. More than 50,000 police personnel were deployed across the country, with 29,300 stationed in Metro Manila alone as part of Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) units.
The protests came weeks after Filipinos were treated to nationally-televised sessions in the Senate and the House of Representatives, where officials from the public works department testified about the implementations of billions of dollars worth of “ghost” infrastructure projects.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, whose father was ousted by a “people power” revolt in 1986 that ended his two-decade dictatorship, ironically placed the corruption issue front and center after an address before Congress in July that came in the wake of deadly floods that hit parts of the capital city.
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