Statement
July 28, 2026
The International
Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP)
condemns the violent police attack on last Monday’s
People’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) protest rally
in Manila, and calls for the immediate release and dropping
of charges against the 51 arrested, including 13 minors and
3 paralegals.
“ICHRP warns the international
community that the Marcos Jr administration is intensifying
repression of protests against the enormous corruption
scandal which is drowning his administration,” said ICHRP
Chairperson Peter Murphy. “Democracy is under ever-greater
threat in the Philippines.
“Yes, the People’s SONA
is huge, but it is well organized and peaceful. Yet the
police decided to invade the procession and arrest a large
number of mainly young people who were not hurting anyone
– except the President’s image,” Murphy
said.
Just days before the SONA, during the ASEAN
Foreign Minister’s meeting on July 22, the police
violently dispersed protesters and harassed photojournalists
near the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC)
in Pasay City.
Young artist movements were the police
targets. Among those arrested is former Panday Sining
national chairperson, Hiphop United Against Corruption
member, and Fliptop rap artist Vitrum. Other arrested
protesters came from the Junkie Rebels Crew, Hiphop United
Against Corruption, Skaters United, Vandals United, and
Defend the Hood. There were also members of bands Walktrip
and MATOKI, and rappers from Kuwagagohan, Raplines and
Banghayan.
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The police could not justify their
aggression, only pointing to breaches of local ordinances
against wearing face coverings, and also alleging that six
were spray-painting graffiti.
“Despite their claim
to use ‘maximum tolerance’, the 22,000 police were
actually exercising ‘maximum disruption’ of the 30,000
strong protest. Police did the same last year at big
protests on September 21, November 30 and on February 25
this year,” Murphy said. “We agree with BAYAN that this
was really overkill by the police.”
Police tried to
force a 7am protest by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers
off the roadway, and later a large contingent of protesters
from Southern Tagalog were blocked from marching along
Commonwealth Avenue, causing another struggle to stay on the
street.
“Despite these brazen undemocratic tactics
by the police, the huge spirited protest sustained its
programs and mobilisation right through to the end of the
President’s address inside the Congress. ICHRP salutes
them all for keeping the flame of democracy and human rights
bright in the Philippines,” Murphy
concluded.
