PNP: Peaceful conclusion of Nov. 30 rallies due to police, rally participants' cooperation

The November 30 protests against corruption held in Metro Manila and different parts of the country concluded peacefully because of rally organizers, participants, marshals, and police units who worked together to maintain order and safety, the Philippine National Police said on Sunday night.

In a statement, PNP acting chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the PNP has finished its rally dispersal operations.

He added that the PNP is now focused on securing major thoroughfares and ensuring that participants can travel home safely.

In addition, traffic and station personnel remain on standby until full normalcy in movement is restored.

Nartatez said today’s protest rallies demonstrated that peaceful assembly and effective law enforcement can coexist and strengthen democratic processes when carried out with responsibility.

Earlier, the PNP reported that around 90,000 people joined various rallies across the country on Bonifacio Day.

In his previous report, Nartatez said a few individuals allegedly attempted to disrupt some gatherings, but assured the “isolated attempts” were immediately addressed by their quick response teams.

As of 7 p.m., the PNP monitored 87 protests nationwide with a total of 55,975 participants. The said protests concluded “without any serious untoward incident” and officially concluded at 7 p.m. Sunday.

The rallies in Metro Manila had the biggest turnout at around 16,000 participants.

The PNP said the figures “reflect the scale of today’s public assemblies and the collective effort to keep them safe and orderly.”

Nartatez thanked the rally organizers, marshals, and participants for exercising their right to free speech and peaceful assembly “with discipline and respect for public order.”

He also commended police ground commanders, civil disturbance management teams, traffic units, and all deployed personnel who “carried out their duties with professionalism and restraint” from early preparations to final clearing operations.

PNP spokesperson and public information office chief Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño also thanked the public and underscored the importance of coordination and calm response throughout the protests.

“We commend everyone who joined today’s assemblies for showing discipline and respect for the law. Together, we have proven that peaceful gatherings are possible when every stakeholder acts with responsibility,” Tuaño said.

In a separate statement, the Quezon City Police District also reported the peaceful conclusion of the Trillion Peso March Movement rally held at the People Power Monument.

QCPD director Colonel Randy Glenn Silvio said the inter-agency coordination between the QCPD, the Quezon City government, and other government agencies “ensured smooth crowd flow and uninterrupted security operations” throughout the protest.

Silvio thanked the Quezon City government and other government agencies for their support and cooperation, as well as the rally organizers and participants for observing security protocols and exercising their rights responsibly.

“The QCPD stands firm in its commitment to safeguard the community, uphold the law, and ensure that every public assembly in Quezon City remains safe, peaceful, and orderly,” he added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News