Police say Labor Day protests 'generally peaceful'
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said thousands of militant group members who joined a "generally peaceful" Labor Day protest in Metro Manila on Tuesday, its spokesperson said.
Supt. Vermelee Madrid said a total of 7,545 demonstrators were recorded in NCR as of 1 pm.
She noted that 1,300 were recorded by the Eastern Police District, then 5,000 others at Mendiola in Manila, while 1,000 more in the area of Court of Appeals, with 230 from the Quezon City Police District and 15 in the Southern Police District.
Madrid said the situation in the protest areas remain peaceful.
“The Regional Director of NCRPO, Police Dir. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan is grateful for the support of the troops and cooperation of all labor leaders and demonstrators who conducted a well-organized rally,” she said.
“The whole situation is generally peaceful. The troops are intact to secure the area and maintain peace and order,” she added.
PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde said there were around 600 protesters monitored in Region 11 while 300 were recorded in Cagayan de Oro City.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, PNP spokesman, said based from their monitoring the protest nationwide remain peaceful.
“As of this time, mass demonstrations nationwide remain to be peaceful with no untoward incident reported,” he said.
“Our security forces remain in place and are exercising maximum restraint to avoid the possible eruption of violence,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS
