Marcos: Arrest troublemakers, exercise maximum tolerance

Maintain peace and maximum tolerance — this was the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to law enforcement agencies as protests against corruption in Mendiola, Manila continued until Sunday evening.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said individuals who caused disorder were apprehended and will face arrest.

He also visited Mendiola as protesters approached the Mendiola Peace Arch.

“Ang utos ng Pangulo panatiliin mapayapa ang mga rallies, for police to exercise maximum tolerance pero huhulihin lahat ng manggugulo (The President's order is to keep the rallies peaceful, for police to exercise maximum tolerance but all troublemakers will be arrested),” Remulla said.

Marcos earlier called for a peaceful protest, reiterating the public’s right to free speech, as the 21 September rallies, dubbed the Trillion Peso March, were not discouraged.

As police officers manned the vicinity of Mendiola, rocks were thrown at them. The group behind this action was identified as the same individuals wearing black clothing who burned truck tires of a container van and a motorcycle at the foot of Ayala Bridge.

Castro points to a larger figure behind violent acts

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said there is a larger figure orchestrating the harmful acts during the protests.

“No one will do that if no one orders it,” she said in a televised interview.

“As a lawyer, how did you meet? How did you meet and all of you were throwing stones? That was planned. That was definitely planned. You can't just say they were just finding out what happened and then you're throwing stones? It's like... tell it to the marines,” she noted.

While perpetrators were arrested, their identities were mixed, as they include both minors and adults.

Castro said the Department of Social Welfare and Development would need to intervene if the arrested individuals are minors.

“Minors, as we said, are exempted if they are 15 years old and below. But still, if there is this kind of crime, they cannot just be released. Social welfare has to come in here,” she said.

“It can't be, ‘oh okay you are 15 years old you have no liability’. No. Social welfare has to come in here, find out who their parents are. They should still be held accountable,” she added.