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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Galit din kami': PNP understands anger among protesters but seeks cooperation for peaceful, orderly rallies

'Galit din kami': PNP understands anger among protesters but seeks cooperation for peaceful, orderly rallies

Published Sep 21, 2025 11:02 am
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it fully understands the anger and frustration among the Filipinos in relation to the alleged massive corruption in the flood control projects but emphasized the need to ensure the safety of everybody in the conduct of protest actions on Sunday, Sept. 21. 
Like everyone else, acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. said the multi-billion peso anomalies in flood control is also the subject of discussions among policemen in camps and in police stations.
“We in the Philippine National Police (PNP) fully understand the anger and frustration among our kababayan. We know how it feels because your police are not only victims of flooding—your police are also among the witnesses, and among the first responders to the adverse effects of the widespread flooding,” said Nartatez.
“But we in the PNP have the mandate, a sworn duty to maintain peace and order, and to ensure the safety of everybody. This is the reason why we have been preparing and we have been coordinating with parties concerned, since these protest actions are announced and scheduled, to make sure that the people’s right to assemble and air their grievances are not only honored and respected, but guaranteed and secured too,” he added.
Thousands of protesters started to troop to the Luneta Park in Manila and at the People Power Monument in Quezon City as early as Sunday morning which coincides with the commemoration of the declaration of Martial Law, all of them calling for accountability amid the expose on the flood control projects.
President Marcos earlier exposed the anomalies in the flood control projects, and even lead the inspection on the projects sites with either substandard infrastructure, or no infrastructure at all.
Marcos created an independent commission to look into the anomalies.
Around 50,000 policemen were mobilized to secure the protest actions not only in Metro Manila but also in several parts of the country where similar indignation rallies are expected to be held.
On Friday, police forces in Metro Manila were placed on full alert status.
“The presence of your PNP in the protest sites is to ensure the safety of everybody—nothing more, nothing less. And they are all directed to implement the security measures from the first person to arrive in the protest sites, up to the last person to leave,” said Nartatez.
On Saturday, Nartatez conducted a surprise site inspection to check if the security plan is properly implemented on the ground.
He vowed to personally monitor the progress of all the programs and activities “until the protesters are back in their homes and families.”
Nartatez said they have not monitored any serious threat but advised the protesters to be vigilant against groups with other “selfish agenda.”
“We have not monitored any serious threat but we are not letting our guard down. And we ask the organizers and the attendees to be wary of some individuals or groups that may taint the activities with their selfish agenda,” said Nartatez.
“Our goal is to ensure that today’s activities are peaceful, orderly and safe for everybody. Let us work together to make this happen,” he added.
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