Anti-graft protests in the Philippines turned violently on Sunday when demonstrators clashed with riot police in Manila, resulting in over 200 arrests. The mayor of Manila, Francisco Domingo Domagoso, vowed to pursue legal action against those responsible for the violence, stating that “the book” would be thrown at rioters. The incident occurred during an anti-corruption rally that had initially remained peaceful, with thousands marching against alleged corrupt practices in the government.
Footage from the scene revealed that officers used water cannons to disperse stone-throwing protesters, while health officials confirmed that dozens of people sustained injuries. Authorities also reported finding the body of an unidentified man with a stab wound, raising concerns about the severity of the violence. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed that 216 individuals were arrested, including 89 minors, with 24 of them being 14 years old or younger. The officials attributed the violence to rioters who reportedly threw a Molotov cocktail at officers, escalating the conflict.
The protests were initially peaceful, with demonstrators demanding transparency and accountability over so-called ‘ghost projects’ that were meant to construct flood-control infrastructure but were later criticized as fraudulent. These ‘ghost projects’ were flagged as dubious by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his state of the nation address, which highlighted alleged corruption tied to the projects. The government estimated that these alleged fraud cases had caused over $2 billion in economic losses between 2023 and 2025. The Catholic Church, which holds significant influence in the predominantly Christian country, endorsed the protests, and the movement gained broader public support.
Marcos’ condemnation of the projects came at a time when the country was also marking the anniversary of the 1972 declaration of martial law by his father, Ferdinand Marcos, who was a former president. This historical context added a layer of symbolism to the current protests, which have drawn both praise for their focus on transparency and criticism for the violence that followed. The incident has led to renewed debates over the use of force by law enforcement and the balance between public dissent and state authority in the Philippines.