MANILA, Philippines — Police arrested nine protesters at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila and at least 17 members of a Lakbayan delegation in Muntinlupa on Sunday as authorities allegedly moved to stop the rallyists from marching to the venue of the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Pasay City.
One activist was reportedly beaten unconscious by police before being arrested, along with eight other protesters, according to accounts from the demonstrators. Two protesters were also reported injured, including one who said a police officer struck him on the head with a riot shield.
According to Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), police had directed the groups to hold their march and program at Liwasang Bonifacio, a designated freedom park, but later dispersed the assembly and arrested its leaders and members.
The groups maintained that they intended to stage a peaceful demonstration at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) but were prevented from proceeding by police.
Protesters also alleged that police planted a nail on the wheels of a truck they intended to use as a stage for their program.
Police also attempted to arrest two staff members of Tinig ng Plaridel, the official student publication of the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Media and Communication, while they were documenting the police apprehension of a protester.
The bridge connecting Quiapo to Liwasang Bonifacio was also blocked, preventing other demonstrators from entering the freedom park.
In Muntinlupa, police arrested Lakbayan delegates who were preparing to march from Southern Tagalog to Liwasang Bonifacio to join the demonstrations.
The operation reportedly involved the smashing of glass windows at a 7-Eleven convenience store where the delegates were staying.
Protest-group and monitoring reports placed the number of arrested Lakbayan delegates to at least 17, with nearly 90 percent of the delegation reportedly apprehended during the police operation.
The protests were part of a wider campaign against the US-led Pax Silica initiative ahead of the arrival of US President Donald Trump for the Asean Summit on Tuesday.
The arrests raised questions over the PNP's adherence to its assurances that demonstrators could exercise their constitutional right to peaceful assembly at designated freedom parks.
The police have yet to provide a consolidated account of the arrests and respond to the protesters' allegations of violence and the reported damage to the convenience store.
