MANILA, Philippines — Safety was heightened contained in the Malacañang compound Sunday, September 21, after teams of protesters tried to breach barricades near Ayala Bridge and Mendiola.
A number of people have been arrested after protesters burned the wheels of a parked trailer truck and threw rocks at police near Ayala Bridge. Loud booms have been heard from inside Malacañang compound earlier than the hearth was finally put out by sturdy rainshowers. Hours later, extra individuals have been arrested alongside Mendiola after protesters threw rocks at police and bodily took down boundaries.
Ayala Bridge and Mendiola Avenue are factors that result in the Palace and Malacañang Compound, the place the Workplace of the President and different key Palace places of work are positioned. Throughout Malacañang Palace, divided by the Pasig River, is Bahay Pangulo, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s official residence.
Contained in the compound, makes an attempt to breach safety boundaries prompted the prepositioning of safety personnel to totally different elements of Malacañang.
Malacañang compound is a sprawling however densely-packed space that Malacañan Palace shares with a college, a church, in addition to residential and industrial institutions. Even on common days, safety is tight — earlier than having the ability to enter the compound, troopers from the Presidential Safety Command (PSC) who man its gates observe an individual’s supposed vacation spot.
Since early September 21, safety was even tighter — the doorway alongside Jose Laurel Avenue had just one gate open, slowing down the entry and exit of automobiles.
Marcos’ monitoring
Palace Press Officer and Undersecretary Claire Castro had earlier stated that Marcos Jr. was “monitoring” protests in Metro Manila and key elements of the nation Sunday, September 21. It was one of many explanation why he skipped the United Nations Normal Meeting (UNGA)’s Excessive-level week in New York, the Palace official stated.
“Nagmo-monitor ang Pangulo dahil kailangan din po ng peace and order, at kailangan din po na maging matiwasay ang pagpo-protesta. So asahan niyo po na ang Pangulo ay nandidiyan,” Castro stated on Sunday, in a GMA-7 interview, as tens of 1000’s of Filipinos throughout the nation gathered and protested corruption tied to anomalous flood management and different infrastructure initiatives.
(The President is monitoring [the protests] as a result of it’s essential to make sure peace and order. So count on the President to be monitoring.)
Castro didn’t disclose the place Marcos was monitoring the protests from.
“Kaya nga po hindi niya tinuloy ang kanyang pagbibiyahe para malaman din niya at madinig niya kung ano ang tunay na hinaing ng taong bayan,” she added, referring to a visit that may have seen Marcos out for over every week, together with on the twenty first.
(It’s why he cancelled his journey, to study and listen to for himself the true sentiments of the nation.)
The September 21 protests are the most important mass protest motion beneath the second Marcos presidency. Coincidentally, it’s additionally when the Philippines commemorates the declaration of Martial Regulation in 1972 by Marcos Jr.’ namesake and father, the late dictator.
Malacañang had earlier stated Marcos wouldn’t be pushing by means of together with his participation within the UNGA, the place he was anticipated to make a pitch for the Philippines’ non-permanent United Nations Safety Council seat, “to concentrate on native points.”
Castro later stated Marcos was knowledgeable of the scenario close to Ayala Bridge. Protest actions in Luneta Park in Manila and the Individuals Energy Monument in Quezon Metropolis have been peaceable as of this posting.
Inside Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who was at Mendiola shortly after protesters have been dispersed and arrested, promised to “shield the residents’ proper to peaceably assemble to redress their grievance” however stated they might “not tolerate instability and violence.”
Help for protests
Marcos himself had earlier expressed assist for the deliberate protests, telling reporters he would have joined rallies in Metro Manila if he wasn’t president. Castro repeated the identical message on Sunday, remarking that the President “values human rights” and the liberty of expression.
“Lahat po ng mga kababayan natin, malaya po kayong magpahayag ng inyong saloobin. Ang karapatan po ninyo ay hindi po ‘yan iba-violate ng Pangulo, ng gobyerno,” she stated.
(Our countrymen are free to precise their sentiments. That proper is not going to be trampled upon by the President or the federal government.)
“Ang human rights ay talagang pinapahalagahan po ng Pangulo kaya po kayo ay malaya sa inyong pagpapahayag. Huwag lamang pong aabuso o lalabag sa batas kasi nandiyan po rin – kung meron po kayong karapatang pantao, meron din po kayong obligasyon para po sundin kung ano yung batas,” she added.
(The President values human rights so everyone seems to be free to precise themselves. Simply ensure to not abuse that proper or break the legislation as a result of… whereas all of us have human rights, we even have the duty to observe the legislation.)
Alerts for foreigners
The Presidential Safety Command, a unit the navy tasked to guard the President, Malacañang, and the First Household, has been on alert since earlier final week whereas the Armed Forces of the Philippines itself has been on crimson alert since September 19.
The embassies of a number of international locations — amongst them the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, and New Zealand — earlier issued alerts to their residents urging them to train warning over the September 21 protests.
“Keep away from upcoming protests and huge gatherings as they could flip violent with out warning, together with deliberate protests on 21 September in Rizal Park (Luneta) in Manila and Individuals Energy Monument, EDSA, Quezon Metropolis. Terrorist assaults may happen wherever within the Philippines, together with at these protests,” in line with Australia.
The US, Canada, UK, and New Zealand additionally reminded their nationals to not be part of these protests because of the possibilities of violence erupting, in addition to Philippine coverage that bar foreigners from participating in “political exercise” together with rallies, meeting, or gatherings “whether or not for or in opposition to the federal government.”
Outrage over what may quantity to billions in public funds corrupted from anomalous or non-existent flood management and infrastructure initiatives started, partially, when Marcos promised an audit of public initiatives throughout his State of the Nation tackle in July 2025.
Since making accessible to the general public a grasp checklist of flood management initiatives throughout the nation, in addition to the checklist of prime contractors who had bagged essentially the most cash over these initiatives, media investigations and congressional probes have uncovered the systematic and seemingly widespread apply of kickbacks for each personal contractors and authorities officers that lead to substandard or ghost flood management initiatives.
Marcos has since created an impartial fee to probe a many years’ value of initiatives, and vowed that not even his allies can be spared.
But critics level out that Marcos also needs to be held accountable — it was he, in spite of everything, who signed budgets that allegedly funded anomalous initiatives by means of insertions. In his house province of Ilocos Norte, the place his clan has dominated for many years, their ally, the Laoag Metropolis mayor, and the controversial Discaya couple are the largest flood management undertaking contractors.
Castro downplayed requires Marcos to be held accountable by stating that it was his SONA message that prompted these infrastructure corruption exposes.
One corruption expose after one other have prompted modifications in each the chief and legislative — a brand new public works secretary was appointed, and the leaders of Congress ousted and changed. – Rappler.com
