The Manila Police District (MPD) has recommended that nine rallyists arrested during the Labor Day protests undergo a preliminary investigation for multiple criminal offenses following a violent confrontation with law enforcement.
According to MPD Chief Legal Service PCpt. Felino Nebato, the nine unidentified individuals are facing complaints before the Office of the City Prosecutor. The charges include violations of Article 153 of the Revised Penal Code (tumults and other disturbances of public order), the Public Assembly Act of 1985 for staging a protest without a valid permit, and Article 293 of the Revised Penal Code (robbery), alongside assault and serious physical injury.
The legal action stems from a May 1 clash at the intersection of T.M. Kalaw Avenue and Roxas Boulevard in Ermita, Manila, which left several police officers injured.
Police reports stated that the demonstration turned volatile when a segment of the crowd attempted to dismantle the barricades established by the Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) contingent. Amid the ensuing chaos, a protester allegedly assaulted a police officer and stole a mobile phone being used for official field documentation, before proceeding to attack other personnel.
The situation escalated further when protesters set fire to an effigy and other materials on the roadway. The MPD noted that demonstrators aggressively blocked police and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) personnel who were responding to extinguish the flames.
Authorities identified some of the suspects facing charges as members of the transport group PISTON and the women’s labor organization Kilusang Manggagawang Kababaihan. Meanwhile, the MPD is currently reviewing CCTV footage and coordinating with relevant agencies to determine the identities and addresses of five other individuals involved in the incident.
A total of nine police officers suffered injuries during the skirmish, including one who sustained skull and wrist fractures, and another who suffered a hematoma on the arm.