22/09/2025
๐๐น๐น ๐๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐น๐ฎ, ๐๐ผ ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ผ๐น๐ฎ.
โThe guns policemen carry are heavy, yet the decision to trigger is carried so lightly.โ
๐๐ฑ๐ช๐ฏ๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐๐ณ๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ญ๐ฆ | ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ณ๐ข
________
What was once a peaceful protest in Luneta Park has led to bloodshed in Mendiola, Manila. A movement led by civilians that aimed to demand transparency and accountability from government has become a clash between protestors and police forces.
How could a nonviolent morning lead to the evening of September 21? Were the events of yesterday a rally or a riot, and who are the police truly protecting?
The Trillion Peso March was organized to demand transparency and accountability from the government in light of recent revelations of corrupt practices in government agencies.
The movement was sparked by Kapuso Mo Jessica Sohoโs Special Report in the beginning of September entitled, โKatakot-Takot na Kurapโ detailing the flaws in budget allocations and anomalous flood control projects headed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Named after the Million Peso March of 2013, the protest was mainly organized by civilians on social media.
What happened in the evening of September 21 in Mendiola, Manila now sparks online discourse after cases of several police troops opened fire on civilians with many in need of medical attention. In the afternoon, civilians in full-black attire and balaclava masks also attempted to march towards the Malacaรฑang Palace with explosives and other weapons.
Early in the evening, unidentified groups began to signal aggression by causing fires, burning paper and tires, and destroying government property along Mendiola. As the evening progressed, shots were heard at Claro M. Recto Avenue--causing civilians who were still marching along the streets to take shelter.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were also put on red alert way back in September 12, 2025, according to the Malacaรฑang spokesperson. Although the Malacaรฑang Palace states this action was to enforce public order and safety, it could be argued that it is an attempt to undercut the protest rights of the Filipino peopleโfurther limiting the march towards accountability.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) reports 93 cops injured and 113 protestors arrested on the day of the march. In an interview, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Brig. Gen. Anthony Berin said that no unlawful or arbitrary arrests were made.
โHindi tayo nang-aresto or nag pick up lang na nakatambay doon. Sila talaga โyung aggressor. Kung nambato sila, โyun talaga โyung hinahabol natin na arestuhin. Documented โyung nangyari. May body-worn camera, may CCTV na naka-install sa lugar.โ Aberin states.
Despite media reports by outlets like Philstar and Inquirer detailing on police injuries, little to no media coverage has been found regarding civilian harm during the night of September 21. In instances like this, it's difficult to hold perpetrators accountable when the actions are being buried and the truth is being shielded behind a police uniform.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) Executive Director Jose Torres Jr. says, โAny attack on media workers, whether intentional or accidental, jeopardizes press freedom and the publicโs right to be informed,โ after several journalists were injured during the riots.
Armed resistance in protests like this, especially with 9,000 policemen deployed to guard the movement, is unavoidable and inevitable. Although it is important to state that those who initiated aggression towards police forces were not originally part of the Trillion Peso Marchโtheir actions were not initially aligned with what was meant for the gathering.
On the other hand, it could be argued that this disruption is needed, people are waking up and realizing that even the police may not be here to protect the Filipino citizensโbut instead be the shields coveting corrupt officials from accountability.
September 21 exposed a truth many are too scared to admit; in the political climate the Philippines is in today, raising a placard will brand you as a terrorist and advocating for a cause will be seen as going against those in power. Worst of all, Filipinos are the ones vilifying activism and the act of protestingโlabeling protesters as โNPAsโ referring to the armed wing of the Communist Party in the Philippines.
As Torres stated, the public has the right to be informedโtherefore we deserve to know the truth regarding the events of the 21st. While videos on social media are circulating depicting the incidents that occurred last night, government agencies remain tight-lipped on the injuries towards Filipino civilians.
Whether the events of the movement were a rally or a riot, it brings the people more issues to discuss. The aftermath of the Million Peso March in 2013 brought immediate justice and acknowledgement from the government so what holds them back from doing the same today?
Media blackouts, another form of censorship, may prevent us from knowing the full truth of what occurred during the evening of the protest when police troops fired bullets, but that doesnโt hold Filipinos back from continuing what has started.
Until we have the names, the numbers, and the truth, accountability remains hostage to the very people in power. The guns policemen carry are heavy, yet the decision to trigger is carried so lightly. All eyes on the streets of Manila, do not let democracy bleed in Mendiola.
________
The rights of the writer to express their views are protected under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article III, Section 4.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions of the writer does not reflect the organization, the school, and its management.
๐๐ณ๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐บ ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ณ๐ข, ๐๐ฅ๐ช๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ-๐ช๐ฏ-๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ฆ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ต๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ ๐๐๐, ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฃ๐ญ๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ.
๐๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฐ๐ด ๐ฃ๐บ ๐๐ฐ๐ฉ๐ฏ ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐ฆ, ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฐ๐ซ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ต๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ ๐๐๐, ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ช๐ต๐บ
17/09/2025
17/09/2025
07/08/2025
07/08/2025
24/07/2025
24/07/2025
23/07/2025
23/07/2025