What began on September 21, 2025 as a mass, largely peaceful protest against alleged corruption in flood control and infrastructure projects escalated into clashes between protesters and police forces, leaving arrests, injuries, and questions about the use of crowd control weapons at the heart of the response.
Organisers had billed the day’s events under two banners: “Baha sa Luneta: Aksyon laban sa Korapsyon,” slated for the morning at Rizal Park, and the “Trillion Peso March” at EDSA in the afternoon. The timing was deliberate: September 21 also marks the anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s declaration of martial law in 1972. Reports indicate that tens of thousands joined these mobilisations in protest of repeated allegations that flood control funds had been misallocated or had produced “ghost” or substandard projects.
As protesters from Luneta converged toward Mendiola and the Malacañang vicinity, tensions escalated. Video coverage and eyewitness reports documented protesters being sprayed with water cannon by police, and chains of fire and smoke rising near barricades. Some of the confrontations involved masked youths hurling stones, bottles, and red paint at police lines. Police countered with shields and advanced through crowd lines, pushing back protesters toward Recto Avenue and underpasses.
While authorities, including Mayor Isko Moreno and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, have claimed that the police acted under “maximum tolerance” and that non‑SWAT units remained unarmed, the narrative remains contested. The Philippine National Police has officially denied use of firearms or tear gas in dispersals, asserting that rogue elements among demonstrators instigated protest violence. Nonetheless, several viral videos show officers with drawn firearms or crowds reacting to an apparent gunshot; one video shows a protester on the ground bleeding.
In the aftermath, the government confirmed 216 arrests tied to the protests. Of those detained, 127 were adults and 89 were minors. Among the minors, 65 were held as “children in conflict with the law” (ages 15–17) and 24 as “children at risk” (14 years and below). The Department of Health reported one death and 48 injuries treated at a hospital during the unrest.
Amidst the violent dispersal, no one has yet been held accountable for the crimes they’ve committed. That’s why I choose to speak out — to give voice to those who have been silenced. This is not just my experience, but the experience of many others that mainstream media often ignores. I write and take photos to document what others won’t, for the people of the Philippines who deserve to know the truth.
Juan Miguel Estocio
