July 29 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.
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.
