Rowegie Abanto

Authorities arrest youth protesters who set fire to 40-foot container trailer trucks along with two motorcycles parked near the protest site at the foot of Ayala Bridge in Manila, as they attempt to cross a police barricade leading to Mendiola during the anti-corruption protest on Sunday, September 21, 2025. Mores Heramis, ABS-CBN News

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Authorities arrest youth protesters 

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/1758508011506viber_image_2025-09-21_17-56-13-014.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Authorities arrest youth protesters who set fire to 40-foot container trailer trucks along with two motorcycles parked near the protest site at the foot of Ayala Bridge in Manila, as they attempt to cross a police barricade leading to Mendiola during the anti-corruption protest on Sunday, September 21, 2025. <em>Mores Heramis, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Rioters at the largely peaceful anti-corruption rallies in Manila on Sunday will face charges, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Monday, calling them &quot;anarchists&quot; who follow the pattern of recent protests in Nepal and Indonesia.</p><p>Thousands trooped to the streets in Metro Manila and other parts of the country to condemn the massive corruption in flood mitigation projects.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/21/thousands-take-to-streets-as-filipinos-protest-flood-control-fraud-2307">Thousands take to streets as Filipinos protest flood control fraud</a></div><p>What began as peaceful rallies escalated into violence as protesters and law enforcement clashed at key areas, including Ayala Bridge, Mendiola, and Claro M. Recto Avenue.</p><p>More than 100 individuals — including minors — had been arrested for engaging in burning vehicles, throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails, as well as ransacking a motel, Remulla said.</p><p>&quot;The protest was about a better country, not about anarchy, and these people are anarchists,&quot; he told ANC.</p><p>Minors among the mob could face charges, but the social welfare agency &quot;has to be there to assist them first,&quot; the DILG chief said.</p><p>Others may face charges of threat to authority, theft with homicide, and frustrated homicide through the throwing of Molotov cocktails at the police officers, said Remulla. </p><p>&quot;We consider that an intent to kill,&quot; he said.</p><p>One male protester allegedly involved in the Mendiola riot on Sunday has died from a stabbing, while <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/22/1-male-protester-dies-from-stabbing-1-injured-during-mendiola-protest-0921">another was injured from a gunshot wound</a> and is being treated in the hospital. </p><p>&quot;No firearms were discharged&quot; from the side of the police, Remulla said.</p><p>Meanwhile, 93 police officers were injured in the clashes, according to the Manila Police District.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/22/moreno-says-no-police-gunfire-no-deaths-reported-in-recto-incident-0201">Moreno says no police gunfire, no deaths reported in Recto incident</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;KASALANAN NG SISTEMA&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Activist Renato Reyes, president of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), on Monday said he understood the &quot;anger&quot; of protesters throwing stones at the anti-corruption rally— who he said were not affiliated with their group.</p><p>He said in a statement that while he himself was &quot;hit by a rock in the face and was bloodied&quot; during the clashes, &quot;[w]e are not about to condemn the poor who express their anger against the system in ways we might not be comfortable with.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Kasalanan ng sistema kung bakit malalim ang galit ng tao,&quot; he said.</p><p>(It was the system&#x27;s fault that people&#x27;s anger was deep.)</p><div><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">93 cops injured, 113 protesters arrested in violent Sept. 21 demonstrations</a></div><p>Reyes added that &quot;if the regime thinks that mass arrests on the streets will quell the outrage, they haven’t been paying attention to history and current events.&quot;</p><p>He also said that Bayan lawyers and Makabayan representatives were trying to assist &quot;bystanders&quot; and minors who had been arrested.</p><div><strong>— With reports from Karen De Guzman and Darylle Sarmiento, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3aPOnCSUrDU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cVGefyhgDn0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><strong></strong><br/></div>

<p>Rioters at the largely peaceful anti-corruption rallies in Manila will face charges, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Monday, calling them "anarchists" who follow the pattern of recent protests in Nepal and Indonesia.</p>

Rioters at the largely peaceful anti-corruption rallies in Manila will face charges, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Monday, calling them "anarchists" who follow the pattern of recent protests in Nepal and Indonesia.

DILG chief denies police gunshots, says 'anarchists' to face raps

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DILG chief denies police gunshots, says 'anarchists' to face raps

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 22, 2025 10:52 AM PHT

Read More:

Anti-Corruption Protests

Mendiola

Recto

Ayala Bridge

Jonvic Remulla

Renato Reyes

Flood Control

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