Anti-riot police, militant students clash anew in Manila

MANILA, Philippines – Militant students and police clashed for the second straight day in Manila as anti-riot squads prevented the students from camping out at Mendiola, which is near Malacanang, to hold a local “Occupy” protest, police and students on the scene said.

Senior Police Officer 1 Edgar Agbuya of the Manila Police District Station 4 said several lawmen were injured but could not confirm the claim by Jonalyn Paz of the College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), in a text message to INQUIRER.net, that one of the student protesters was beaten up along Bustillos Street.

“Wala pang bilang ng nasaktan. But I saw this guy being hit by two or three police officers in his head using that thing they have in hand [batuta]. Nasa hospital siya. Police brutality,” said Paz.

Youth group Anakbayan National Chairman Vencer Crisostomo said that close to 100 policemen have been deployed in the area since 7 a.m.

The international “Occupy” protest movement, which began with a camp-out near Wall Street in New York City, largely decries social inequality and the power of big business.

Various activist groups have banded together to hold a similar camp-out on Mendiola from December 6 to International Human Rights Day on December 10, to protest the perceived failure by the Aquino administration to deliver and prioritize basic social services such as education, health, energy, employment.