Alvin Karingal, a mayoral aspirant in Manila, was arrested on Sunday, Sept. 21, following a protest in Luneta Park that culminated in a clash with authorities near Mendiola.
Alvin Karingal, also known as the Fishball King, during the protest action on Sunday, Sept. 21.
Karingal drew widespread attention after a video of him passionately calling for a drop in the prices of street food, particularly fishball and kikiam, was uploaded by a netizen and quickly went viral.
In the clip, he was seen addressing the crowd, demanding affordable prices for everyday fare like kwek-kwek, kikiam, and tokneneng.
The video earned him the nickname “fishball king” across social media platforms.
Karingal ran for Manila mayor in the May national and local elections.
His platform focused on disaster preparedness and climate action.
During the mass protest actions on Sunday, Sept. 21, tensions escalated leading to Karingal’s arrest in Mendiola.
Images of him being restrained by police, shirt torn and visibly distressed, circulated online and further amplified public interest in his situation.
Following the incident, his mother, Mean Karingal, appeared at the Manila Police District headquarters, expressing deep concern for her son’s condition.
She shared that he suffers from a mental health condition and relies on regular medication, urging authorities to consider his health and release him promptly.
As of this writing, officials have not divulged the specific charges that may be filed against Karingal.