Police outnumber protesters at People Power Monument rally

The number of police officers on duty at the People Power Monument (PPM) in EDSA corner White Plains Avenue on Sunday exceeded the number of demonstrators as of 06:15 p.m. Protesters carried placards calling for “corrupt officials to be put in jail now,” but turnout fell short of the crowds seen during the 1986 People Power uprising.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that more than 17,000 personnel were deployed across three protest sites in Metro Manila: Luneta Park, the PPM, and the EDSA Shrine. At the PPM, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) estimated the crowd at around 5,000.

“Quiet. Peak crowd about 5,000,” Retired Gen. Elmo San Diego, head of Quezon City’s Public Order and Safety Department, told the Daily Tribune. He suggested that fatigue and the hardships faced by many Filipinos may have contributed to lower turnout, with some opting to focus on daily survival rather than attend rallies.