MANILA, Philippines — Militants were greeted with water cannons as they tried to break through police barricade on Commonwealth Avenue while President Benigno Aquino III was delivering his State of the Nations Address.
Tension between police and militants escalates, forcing officers to use water cannons. PHOTO/ FRANCES MANGOSING, INQUIRER.net
The Bureau of Fire Protection used water cannons as tension escalated between police and militants. The incident lasted for 15 minutes.
Thousands of militants gathered on Commonwealth Avenue as President Benigno Aquino III delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address. Police placed the crowd estimate at 7,500 but militants gave a higher number – 17,000.
Gilbert Boiser of the Commission on Human Rights in National Capital Region condemned the violence , saying they might seek an investigation into the incident.
Militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan also slammed the use of water cannons.
“We strongly condemn the use of water cannon against the protesters. Their action was a show of defiance against the security deployment of the President,” said Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr.
“We need to show them that we are strongly against it,” he also said.
Protesters left the rally venue before 6 p.m.
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