Police tighten watch on Recto Ave. amid Nov. 30 protests

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the Philippine National Police deployed tighter security along Recto Avenue on Sunday, November 30, amid concerns over possible riots during the massive anti-corruption protests.

According to a report by Raffy Tima on 24 Oras Weekend, Remulla said authorities had received information about a potential disturbance.

“Lagi namang mayroong info na ganyan. Pero hindi mo alam hanggang nandiyan na kung may mangyari talaga. Mabuti nang overprepared kaysa underprepared,” he said as he personally monitored the protest.
(There is always information like that, but you won’t know if something will actually happen until you’re there. It’s better to be overprepared than underprepared.)

“Ang seguridad ng bansa ang binabantayan natin dito. Hindi lang isang tao o building — buong bansa ito,” he added.

(We are guarding the security of the country here. It’s not just about one person or one building — it’s the entire country.)

Protesters were stopped at the corner of Recto Avenue and San Sebastian Street after police set up barbed wires and concrete barriers leading to Mendiola. This forced the group to continue their program in the area instead.

The crowd later destroyed effigies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte before dispersing after about 30 minutes.

Rally organizers insisted they had no intention of sowing violence.

“Walang agenda na maghasik ng gulo. Ang gusto lang natin ay makapagpahayag. Pero kapag ganito ang sinasalubong sa atin, nagkakaroon ng tensyon,” said Bayan Muna President Renato Reyes.

(There is no agenda to create chaos. We only want to express ourselves. But when we are met with setups like this, tension arises.)

More than an hour later, another group of protesters arrived along Recto, calling for Marcos’ resignation.

Aside from police officers, human rights observers from an international group and from the Commission on Human Rights were also present to monitor the demonstrations.—Vince Angelo Ferreras/MCG, GMA Integrated News