A protester threw paint in the face of a plainclothes police officer during an Independence Day rally in Manila on Friday, according to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

NCRPO spokesperson Major Hazel Asilo said the officer caught an individual spraying paint and vandalizing a center island along Kalaw Avenue.

When the officer attempted to stop the vandalism, the protester threw paint directly at him.

The officer tried to arrest the suspect, but the individual resisted and fled the scene. The protester stripped off their shirt while escaping to avoid identification, Asilo added.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to identify and locate the suspect.