Protesters, cops clash near Aquino home

MANILA, Philippines - A leader of a militant group was arrested following a scuffle as police officers dispersed protesters outside President Aquino’s Quezon City home yesterday.

Antonio Flores, secretary general of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), is facing charges of serious physical injury, direct assault against an agent of persons in authority and illegal assembly, said Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao.

According to Pagdilao, 12 police officers under the QCPD Station 2 were wounded in the scuffle as protesters allegedly became unruly outside President Aquino’s house on Times Street.

Pagdilao said the rally started at past 9 a.m. and protesters were allowed to hold a program by QCPD Station 2 commander Superintendent Pedro Sanchez.

“But before they stopped, some of the protesters, painted the street and the gate of a house in the area red,” Pagdilao said.

The scuffle erupted as police officers accosted the protesters. Policemen suffered injuries in the eyes, thighs, arms and bruises and fractures.

In a statement, KMP condemned the arrest and tagged it as illegal.

“The command to violently disperse the protest outside the Aquino residence was a direct order from Malacañang,” said KMP chairperson Rafael Mariano.

KMP claimed the police clubbed unarmed rallyists with truncheons and nightsticks.

The protesters were demanding the ouster of President Aquino and were part of the Manilakbayan protest of Mindanao farmers and indigenous peoples in Manila to highlight the alleged escalating human rights violations and land-grabbing in Mindanao.