Cops hurt during protest rise to 7

The number of police officers injured during the Labor Day rally along Kalaw Avenue in Manila on 1 May rose to seven.

The injured officers are currently recovering at the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital.

Manila Police District Director P/Brig. Gen Arnold Santiago personally visited the injured personnel.

One officer sustained skull and wrist injuries after being punched in the head by a protester.

Santiago said firefighters were about to douse a burning effigy with water to prevent the fire from reaching nearby electrical wires. But protesters allegedly thought the water hose would be directed at them, which triggered the commotion.

Authorities have identified the suspect, who reportedly has a prior record linked to the 21 September rally.

Charges will be filed against the suspect, who also allegedly grabbed a police officer’s cellphone.

Meanwhile, the PNP denied claims of “overkill” in its nationwide deployment during Labor Day. The PNP assessed the Labor Day protest as generally peaceful.

This came in response to criticism from militant groups over the deployment of more than 106,000 personnel, including force multipliers, during the rallies.

PNP spokesperson P/Brig. Gen. Randulph Tuaño said police are not concerned about protesters but are closely monitoring groups that may incite violence or infiltrate rallies.

He added that authorities are also focused on ensuring the safety of the general public.

Despite the incident, Tuaño said protests across the country remained generally peaceful.