MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on Thursday that it will review its operational procedures and the criminal complaints filed against eight individuals linked to the September 21, 2025 rallies, following a Manila court’s decision to quash the cases.
During a press briefing, PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Allen Rae Co stated that the organization respects the court ruling while maintaining that the initial filing of charges was lawful.
“It was justified, the filing of the case. If I understood correctly, mali po yung pagkakaintindi natin. We will not just even look to na yung mismong mga tao na naaresto na sila ang gumawa,” Co said.
“So it doesn’t mean that it was unjustified yung pag-file ng case. So titignan po natin yan, review-hin natin ang ating procedures, titignan natin ang pagfi-file po natin ng case,” he added.
Co emphasized that the police force has no intention of suppressing freedom of expression and fully acknowledges the constitutional right of citizens to assemble and express grievances peacefully.
However, he reiterated that the right to peaceful assembly is not absolute, noting that authorities may intervene when demonstrations disrupt public safety, damage property, or infringe upon the rights of others.
The legal proceedings stem from anti-corruption demonstrations held on September 21, 2025, which turned volatile.
According to police reports, 113 individuals were arrested during the protests due to incidents involving property destruction, tire burning, and rock-throwing, which also resulted in injuries to 93 police personnel.