Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Christopher Sitson

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17585059889991758505986458.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Youth protesters set fire to a 40-foot container trailer truck along with two motorcycles parked near the protest site at the foot of Ayala Bridge in Manila, as they attempted to cross a police barricade leading to Mendiola during the anti-corruption protest on Sunday, September 21, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA —  Some of the mostly young people who were involved in a violent riot during the anti-corruption protests in Manila were “hiphop gangsters”, the Manila Police District said Monday.</p><p><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/21/thousands-take-to-streets-as-filipinos-protest-flood-control-fraud-2307">Sunday’s largely peaceful mass protests </a>against bogus flood-control projects <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/22/1-male-protester-dies-from-stabbing-1-injured-during-mendiola-protest-0921">erupted into violence </a>as riot police deployed water cannon in clashes with a masked group who hurled rocks and shattered the glass of one police outpost.</p><p>Police arrested 113 people in separate incidents that saw <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/22/93-police-officers-injured-113-protesters-arrested-in-violent-september-21-demonstration-0843">at least 93 officers injured </a>and a trailer that was being used as a barricade set ablaze.</p><p>“Ongoing pa ‘yung ating pag-iimbestiga, initially nalaman natin ito ‘yung mga hiphop, at naimpluwensyahan sila ng isang rapper na hindi na muna natin babanggitin pero nakita naman natin sa social media kung sino ito,” sabi ni  MPD Public Information Office chief Maj. Philipp Ines.</p><p>National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin said that interviews with those in custody revealed that many participants were allegedly inspired by events in other countries and influenced by a popular rapper.</p><p>“Parang gusto nilang gayahin ‘yung nangyari sa ibang bansa at may iniidolo silang isang rapper na parang nag-udyok sa kanila na pumunta doon tapos magsuot ng black na uniporme, magtakip ng mukha kasi nga pilosopya nila na &#x27;no face, no case,&#x27;&quot; he said.</p><p>“Iniimbestigahan kung sino ‘yung tinutukoy nila na rapper.”</p><div><iframe width="1100" height="619" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O-AVBNqcPd0" title="As it happened: Mendiola protest descends into chaos; police push back | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Police were also looking into whether a larger organization or individual could have financed or orchestrated the gathering, and whether any of those involved were under the influence of illegal drugs.</p><p>“Lahat ng na-apprehend will be charged,” Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso said.</p><p>“I will make sure, that they will pay the price. Kung sumali ka, naki-sapak ka, kasama ka sa danyos. Criminal and civil. Pagsisisihan nila ‘yan,” ayon kay Domagoso.</p><p>Rage over the so-called ghost infrastructure projects has been mounting since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. put them centerstage in his State of the Nation Address that followed weeks of deadly flooding in July.</p><p>Marcos said he did not blame people for protesting &quot;one bit&quot;.</p><p>Sunday in the capital began without violence with a morning demonstration at a park that drew nearly 50,000 people, according to city estimates.</p><p>Thousands more joined an afternoon rally at EDSA, the ground zero for the 1986 movement that ousted Marcos&#x27;s father.</p><div><strong>— With a report from Agence France<br/></strong></div><div><iframe width="1100" height="619" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CTz8aDj5HNQ" title="Lubog sa Katiwalian: An ABS-CBN News Special on Philippine Flood Control Projects (Full Documentary)" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="1100" height="619" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/reIVQgV8Lto" title="Laban sa Katiwalian: The September 21 Protests; An ABS-CBN News Special Coverage" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Some of the mostly young masked people who were involved in a violent riot during the anti-corruption protests in Manila were “hiphop gangsters”, the Manila Police District said Monday.</p>

Some of the mostly young masked people who were involved in a violent riot during the anti-corruption protests in Manila were “hiphop gangsters”, the Manila Police District said Monday.

‘Hiphop gangsters’ involved in Manila riot: police

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‘Hiphop gangsters’ involved in Manila riot: police

Christopher Sitson,

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 22, 2025 09:59 AM PHT

Read More:

corruption

flood control

baha

protests

Sept. 21 protests

Manila

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