More than 40 people are now confronting criminal filings in connection with the violence that broke out during protest actions on September 21 in Manila. According to statements from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Manila Police District (MPD), many of those apprehended were minors and others have been identified as adult participants.
Authorities say the rioting — which included incidents of arson, stone-throwing, and property destruction around Mendiola, Ayala Bridge, and Recto Avenue — may lead to charges ranging from illegal assembly and assault on persons in authority to more serious offenses like arson and even sedition.
In their public remarks, police officials emphasised that while most protest sites remained peaceful, a subset of masked individuals (some described as “hip-hop gangsters”) triggered the worst of the unrest. The investigation is ongoing to determine how many of those charged were instigators versus regular protesters.