MANILA: The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will deploy over 15,000 police officers to secure the upcoming anti-corruption rallies on September 21.
“We are preparing for that,” NCRPO officer-in-charge Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano said in an interview with reporters on Thursday.
“We will be deploying more than 15,000 of our police officers to ensure that the rallies that will take place will be peaceful, although we respect their right to express themselves,” he added.
The NCRPO’s declaration comes as progressive groups are preparing for another set of rallies on September 21 to decry government corruption again, a year after the flood control controversy rallies.
Sept. 21 also marks the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law by then-President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., father of incumbent President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
At present, the Metro Manila police chief said that their units have not received any permits filed by organisers, which would have been relayed by their respective local government units.
“We’ve intensified our coordination with various intelligence units so we can at least foresee what groups might attempt to infiltrate,” Abrahano said, citing the riots that took place during the anti-corruption protests in Manila on September 21 last year.
“We are also establishing coordination with the known leaders of these groups so that they can be warned and we can talk to them early,” he added.
The riots reportedly left at least one dead and hundreds arrested.
Nonetheless, for the September 21 rallies this year, Abrahano said the NCRPO had not monitored any security threat.
He added that the regional police force will be raising its alert level for the protest actions.
“We need a lot of personnel. There will be no leave for now. We need to work together and we need a pool of policemen to safeguard our streets,” Abrahano said.
The anti-corruption protests on Sept. 21, 2025 stemmed from public outrage over the flood control and infrastructure corruption scandal.
In a social media post earlier this month, progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said they will stage a new rally, claiming that the mastermind of the corruption scheme has not been investigated.
“Some were charged. Some were jailed, made into witnesses and freed. Meanwhile, the masterminds of the corruption have not been investigated,” Bayan said.
“A year after the major anti-corruption protest, we need to once again show the people’s anger against the continuing corruption and plunder in our country,” it added. - Inquirer/ANN
