September 6, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Protesters from totally different teams clashed briefly yesterday with the police, after hurling plastic baggage stuffed with paint at a tarpaulin resembling challenge contract particulars in entrance of the Batasang Pambansa complicated in Quezon Metropolis.
The protest motion befell throughout a listening to – chaired by Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing of the Home committee on appropriations – on the proposed P881-billion 2026 funds of the Division of Public Works and Highways.
“Bulok na kongresista ikulong, ikulong,” the protesters chanted.
The Quezon Metropolis Police District’s riot management unit chased away the protesters after a few of the paint splashed onto the officers.
The protesters additionally threw stones and different objects on the Batasan complicated earlier than evading the police.
Police dispersed the gang shortly after the incident. No accidents or arrests had been reported.
The protest was organized by teams underneath the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, which assailed what they referred to as failed flood management initiatives awarded to personal contractors.
In the meantime, greater than 100 members of progressive teams’ Youth Towards Kurakot (YaK!), Akbayan party-list and allied organizations staged a protest outdoors the headquarters of St. Gerrard Development in Pasig yesterday, denouncing the alleged “ghost” initiatives of the corporate and demanding accountability from contractor couple Sarah and Curlee Discaya and their supposed authorities connections.
Protesters carried placards, waved banners and chanted slogans to name consideration to what they described as a trillion-peso flood management rip-off.
“There are such a lot of ghost initiatives that proceed to hang-out us. We should determine and maintain accountable licensed thieves just like the Discayas, who’re overtly stealing the way forward for the youth,” stated Khylla Meneses, Akbayan Youth secretary-general and YaK! co-convenor.
Akbayan president Rafaela David stated the Discayas signify solely a part of a deeper community of corruption.
“The Discaya syndicate is only a symptom of a bigger internet of corruption. We should ask: who’re their accomplices? Who earnings whereas Filipinos undergo? All their hyperlinks to public officers should be uncovered, rooted out and dropped at justice,” David stated.
She additionally referred to as on authorities to freeze the property of the Discayas and different contractors concerned.
Pasig police chief Col. Hendrix Mangaldan stated the protest ended peacefully. — Mark Ernest Villeza
