Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

Karen De Guzman

Jeff Caparas

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17860740381141767070077658Screen Shot 2025-12-30 at 12.47.14 PM (2).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday condemned the caskets bearing anti-China messages abandoned in several parts of Metro Manila, saying it does not tolerate acts or threats of violence against any individual, including foreign nationals and foreign officials. <em>Courtesy: NCRPO via Karen de Guzman, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — Five empty coffins bearing photos of Chinese leaders and anti-Chinese Communist Party messages were displayed at different locations across Metro Manila before dawn on Friday, prompting an investigation by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), which said the act may be intended to sow fear and stir tension.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/7/mga-kabaong-natagpuan-sa-iba-t-ibang-bahagi-ng-metro-manila-0854">Mga kabaong natagpuan sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng Metro Manila</a></div><p>Authorities recovered the coffins in Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan City, and Makati City. No remains were found inside any of the caskets.</p><p>CCTV footage showed a van stopping in front of the Santa Cruz Church in Manila shortly after 2 a.m., where three individuals unloaded and left a coffin.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:560px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2085653370468291047&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-08-07T04%3A30%3A19.607522%3Af7f4fde8-880b-486f-88d0-3b6c278018af%26action%3Dcorrect&amp;sessionId=dd7390aaeaf312bcc115fb84d7fbced1704f7c22&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:560px;height:560px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2085653370468291047"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>At around 2:27 a.m., another coffin was left at the Boy Scouts Monument along Timog Avenue and Tomas Morato Avenue in Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City. Barangay officials said the casket was unloaded from a white van without license plates.</p><p>“Wala pong pagkakakilala yung mga nagbaba,” said Lilibeth Bancairen, a Barangay South Triangle BPSO staff member.</p><p>Another coffin was later found along Seventh Avenue and N. Carpio Street in Barangay 154, Caloocan City. Before 3 a.m., another casket was spotted at Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City.</p><p>At around 3:50 a.m., another coffin was abandoned along Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati City, in front of the Chinese Embassy.</p><p>Authorities also intercepted a woman believed to be associated with those who left the coffin at the Boy Scouts Monument.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2085506588950012293&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-08-07T04%3A30%3A19.607522%3Af7f4fde8-880b-486f-88d0-3b6c278018af%26action%3Dcorrect&amp;sessionId=dd7390aaeaf312bcc115fb84d7fbced1704f7c22&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:648px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2085506588950012293"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>When questioned, the woman claimed the coffins were merely props.</p><p>“Props lang po namin sa partylist eh sa community, Chinese community… Pinapakuha ko po sandali… hinahabol ko yung van bakit umalis,” she said.</p><p>Asked about the purpose of the display, she said, “Para lang po sa mga Pilipino, sa mga mangingisda po, West Philippine Sea po.”</p><p>When asked why they used coffins, she answered, :“Tignan po ninyo ano pinaglalabanan namin… Pinapakita lang po namin ano nasa sa loob namin.”</p><p>Police said the woman was later picked up by the same van and left the area.</p><p>All five coffins contained photos of Chinese leaders and red flags bearing messages against the Chinese Communist Party.</p><p>NCRPO Regional Director PMGen Anthony Aberin said investigators have already identified vehicles used in the operation.</p><p>“Tuloy-tuloy po yung conduct po investigation po natin. May na-identify po tayo na mga sasakyan na ginamit and we have the plate numbers. May mga mukha po tayo kasi yung isang babae wala pong takip yung mukha niya at the same time yung mga kasama po,” Aberin said.</p><p>Police are tracking the van’s owner and those involved, who may face complaints for malicious mischief, alarms and scandals, and defamation.</p><p>Aberin said investigators are also looking into where the coffins came from.</p><p>“Yung source ng casket ay umiikot po yung mga imbestigador natin para i-pinpoint kung saan galing… we will try to coordinate with these funeral services or funeral shops,” he said.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-2&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2085493348870348813&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-08-07T04%3A30%3A19.607522%3Af7f4fde8-880b-486f-88d0-3b6c278018af%26action%3Dcorrect&amp;sessionId=dd7390aaeaf312bcc115fb84d7fbced1704f7c22&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:648px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2085493348870348813"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>He added that investigators believe the incident may have been intended to create diplomatic tension.</p><p>“One thing is clear they are trying to stir up the relationship China and the Philippines, kasi yung nakalagay po na messages is parang Anti-China po nakalagay,” Aberin said.</p><p>The recovered coffins are now in police custody.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) condemned the incident. </p><p>“The Department of Foreign Affairs does not condone acts or threats of violence against any individual, including foreign nationals or officials. Such irresponsible and disrespectful acts cannot be tolerated.”</p><p>The DFA stressed that while the Philippines upholds freedom of expression, that right “does not extend to threats of violence or acts that endanger the safety and security of others.”</p><p>It added that such actions “do not reflect the Philippine government’s approach to conducting its foreign relations, nor do they represent how Filipinos express criticism or dissatisfaction, even on sensitive political matters.”</p><p>The DFA also said it is “closely coordinating with law enforcement authorities, who are taking the necessary steps to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine accountability for this reckless act.”</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></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/cijRcF201sU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p> Five empty coffins bearing photos of Chinese leaders and anti-Chinese Communist Party messages were displayed at different locations across Metro Manila before dawn on Friday, prompting an investigation by the National Capital Region Police Office.</p>

Five empty coffins bearing photos of Chinese leaders and anti-Chinese Communist Party messages were displayed at different locations across Metro Manila before dawn on Friday, prompting an investigation by the National Capital Region Police Office.

5 coffins bearing photos of Chinese leaders abandoned across Metro Manila

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5 coffins bearing photos of Chinese leaders abandoned across Metro Manila

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen,

Karen De Guzman,

Jeff Caparas,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 07, 2026 11:56 AM PHT

|

Updated August 07, 2026 06:43 PM PHT

Read More:

PNP

NCRPO

caskets

CPP-NPA

China

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