National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief PMGen. Anthony Aberin on Monday refuted claims that the police presence during the Trillion Peso March on Sunday was “overkill.”
In a radio interview, Aberin said the event remained “generally peaceful” and explained that the heightened deployment was an “over preparation” aimed at preventing a repeat of the clashes that occurred during the 21 September rally in Mendiola.
“The rally in Metro Manila went generally peaceful,” Aberin said.
“It wasn't overkill. We are over-prepared. We don't want what happened in the last rally to happen again,” he added.
Based on consolidated reports from the Philippine National Police (PNP), around 90,000 individuals joined 119 protest actions nationwide. The National Capital Region accounted for more than 16,000 participants, with major demonstrations held along White Plains Avenue, EDSA Shrine, Liwasang Bonifacio, San Sebastian, Luneta, and other key points.
PNP said the deployment was scaled based on protest locations, with 1,117 personnel stationed at White Plains, 953 at San Sebastian, 651 at the EDSA Shrine, 426 at Luneta, and more than 400 across areas in Quiapo, Manila, and Ortigas. At the People Power Monument, 407 personnel from different support agencies were also deployed.
Reports circulated online alleging that the number of police officers outnumbered protesters. Aberin countered this, saying the ratio varied depending on the area.
“There were also many, in a particular place, there were more people rallying compared to those blocking them,” he explained in Filipino. “They just can't penetrate because we placed a barrier so that the police and the rallyists would have no physical contact.”
According to the NCRPO chief, barriers helped prevent physical confrontations, unlike in the September 21 rally where the absence of such barriers resulted in altercations.
“With the barrier around, our police were not moved easily,” Aberin said. “That’s the reason why we put barriers so that they won’t reach our police officers. So that we can prevent physical altercations between police and the protesters,” he added.
Aberin emphasized that the police exercised maximum tolerance throughout the protest.
"We implemented maximum tolerance even though the police were being cursed at and yelled at," he said. "We did not react so that the situation would not escalate."
Addressing reports regarding a journalist covering the protest who wore kevlar and a balaclava and was stopped by authorities, Aberin cited a Manila ordinance prohibiting balaclavas in public.
“If you are wearing that while walking, you will be questioned and will look into your identification,” Aberin explained in Filipino.
He added that the individuals were only warned as first-time offenders, although their identities were recorded.
Aberin assured that the police force will remain prepared for future protests while respecting the public’s right to peaceful assembly.