The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Tracy Cabrera
What began as a peaceful anti-corruption rally turned violent Sunday when masked infiltrators disrupted the “Trillion Peso March” in Luneta and nearby protest sites, clashing with police and leaving about 100 officers injured and 72 people arrested.
According to Manila Police District chief Brig. Gen. Arnold Abad, the injuries were mostly minor, caused by rocks and bottles hurled at anti-riot cops.
In Mendiola, police also reported Molotov attacks that damaged nearby establishments and disrupted public activities.
Authorities believe the perpetrators were not legitimate protesters but agitators posing as rallyists.
The violence drew strong condemnation from rally organizers, including the Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement.
Coalition chair Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia called the incident “the twisted agenda of paid anarchists, not the voice of the people,” stressing that the chaos turned lawful dissent into criminal acts of sedition. He praised the police for containing what he described as “an attempted revolt” and vowed full cooperation with authorities in holding perpetrators accountable.
Despite the violence, Goitia said the movement against corruption will press on—peacefully and lawfully—while reaffirming support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s campaign for transparency and reform.