MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Sunday condemned the violent acts committed by some parties during mass protests against corruption held in different parts of Metro Manila.
In a television interview, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said that those who triggered unrest in rallies, particularly in areas near Malacañang, were “thugs” with no other objective but to sow chaos.
“These are not rallyists. These are thugs. You can see that they want to do nothing but destroy the government. It seems like they want to overthrow the government. And who is used to this kind of harassment and this kind of destruction? Who do they want to overthrow? They definitely committed a crime,” Castro said.
Commotion broke out after unidentified rioters threw bottles and other items at anti-riot police stationed at the Mendiola Peace Arch in San Miguel, Manila. Another group set fire to a motorcycle and container van at the foot of Ayala Bridge.
Castro expressed concern that the incidents would cast doubt on the majority of rallyists who took to the streets to air their sentiments and advocacies.
“In a way, it’s worrying because their behavior is different… What do they want to do, make us like other countries that are violent? That’s not what other protesters with legitimate aspirations want. We know they want something different,” she said in seeming reference to the demonstrations that occurred in Nepal and Indonesia.
The Palace official said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the police to exercise maximum tolerance.
