70 cops wounded in violence mounted by young, masked rallyists in Manila
AT least 70 policemen were injured, six of them seriously, due to the violence that erupted in Mendiola during the supposed anti-corruption rally held in Manila on Sunday.
The National Capital Region Office (NCRPO) reported that about 10 youngsters were arrested during the violent activities which they instigated on Ayala Bridge.
NCRPO spokesperson Maj. Hazel Asilo said that based on the account of the organizers, the bridge was not part of their route as planned.
Radio station DZBB reporter Manny Vargas, who was among those injured while doing a live reporting of the rally, said a group of young rallyists suddenly started throwing rocks, bottles and other hard objects at the direction of the Manila Police District (MPD) personnel deployed in the area of Mendiola. He got hit in the face and was among those who received treatment.
According to Vargas, the rallyists wanted to force their way to Mendiola and Malacanan, during a rally in Manila on Sunday but were not able to do so owing to the big trucks and iron barriers that were placed in the said areas.
Vargas described the violent youngsters as masked and armed with molotovs and rocks.
Videos caught by netizens and which were posted on social media also showed the said youngsters beating up policemen, destroying street lights and street signs and even causing damage to some establishments in the area, a far cry from the supposed intent of the rally which is to protest corruption activities involving flood control projects.
