One person was killed and 59 others injured — including thirteen PRO3 police officers — after a protest in Manila’s Mendiola district turned violent Sunday, prompting authorities to launch an investigation into “instigators” who allegedly incited the clashes.
The fatality, an unidentified man, was declared dead on arrival at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC) with a single stab wound to the chest. Police have yet to determine his affiliation or how he sustained the injury.
Records from JRRMMC showed 48 injured, including two police officers from Region 3 treated for minor lacerations and bruises. Among the civilians, six suffered severe wounds: one gunshot injury, two cases of eye trauma from hurled debris, and three deep lacerations. Thirty-nine protesters are undergoing mandatory physical exams before potential detention.
Eleven other PRO3 officers, deployed as backup, were treated at the Philippine National Police General Hospital for bruises, concussions, and suspected fractures after clashes with “unidentified armed elements” who allegedly infiltrated the protest.
PRO3 Regional Director PBGen. Rogelio Peñones confirmed all injured personnel are “in stable condition and recovering.”
The Manila Police District (MPD) launched the investigation following clashes between rally participants and what officials described as “provocateurs armed with knives and improvised explosives.”
According to MPD Public Information Chief Maj. Philipp Ines, police are scrutinizing whether “hiphop gangsters” — groups linked to local rap subcultures — “exploited the protest to incite chaos.”
“This was not a spontaneous act. We are tracking down those who orchestrated this violence, including outsiders who exploited legitimate grievances,” Ines said, adding that authorities are reviewing CCTV footage and social media posts to identify instigators.
To date, police have arrested 130 individuals, including 50 apprehended at Ayala Bridge (38 adults, 12 minors) and 21 at Mendiola (14 adults, 7 minors). The minors are undergoing discernment assessment under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.
The protest, coinciding with the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law, drew crowds demanding accountability over alleged corruption — including a controversial flood control project accused of siphoning billions in public funds. Mendiola, a historic protest site near Malacañang Palace, had remained peaceful since 2023 until Sunday’s fatal clash shattered the fragile calm.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed all casualties qualify for Zero Balance Billing, a policy ensuring free emergency care. “No victim will pay a single peso for treatment,” DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a statement.