Philippine police van rams protesters in front of U.S. Embassy
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Protesters hit a Philippine National Police van after it rammed into protesters outside the U.S. Embassy in Manila ON Wednesday.
MANILA » A Philippine police van rammed into protesters, leaving several bloodied, as an anti-U.S. rally turned violent Wednesday at the American Embassy in Manila.
The van’s driver, police officer Franklin Kho, told reporters he did not deliberately hit the protesters but was trying to drive away from them because they were hitting the vehicle with wooden clubs and he feared they would commandeer it and use it to attack other policemen. “They were already trying to seize the vehicle,” Kho told reporters.
Associated Press TV footage showed the van repeatedly ramming the protesters as it drove wildly back and forth after activists surrounded and started hitting it with the wooden batons they seized from police.
In front of horrified crowds, the van suddenly charged backward then sprinted forward twice over a space of about 60 feet, barreling through the scattered protesters and hurtling some to the side like bowling pins. A few were run over but somehow managed to stand.
Some screamed in surprise, others hurled stones at the van and yelled invectives. A speaker called the police “puppies of imperialists” on a loudspeaker.
At least three student activists were taken to a hospital after they were run over by the van, protest leader Renato Reyes said.
“There was absolutely no justification for it,” Reyes said of the violent police dispersal of about 1,000 protesters. “Even as the president vowed an independent foreign policy, Philippine police forces still act as running dogs of the U.S.”
More than two dozen policemen were injured, police officials said, adding that police observed “maximum tolerance” but rowdy protesters kept assaulting the law enforcers.
Police lobbed tear gas and arrested at least 29 protesters who broke through a line of riot police and hurled red paint at the officers and a U.S. government seal at the start of the rally at the seaside embassy compound.
A firetruck doused the rowdy protesters with water to push them back, but they took hold of the water hose and confronted the outnumbered police with rocks and red paint. After breaking through the police corridor, they scribbled “U.S. troops out now” and other slogans at the embassy’s tall fence with red paint.
The national police said in a statement that the violent dispersal was “unfortunate” and an investigation would try to determine if the riot policemen followed crowd-control procedures. Investigators will also evaluate criminal and civil liabilities of the protesters and their leader for an alleged illegal mass assembly.
A left-wing legal group, the National Union of People’s Lawyers, condemned the police violence and said it would help the injured and detained protesters file criminal complaints against the police for violating their constitutional rights to free assembly.
The protesters, consisting of students, workers and tribespeople, were demanding an end to the presence of visiting U.S. troops in the Philippines and to support a call by President Rodrigo Duterte for a foreign policy not dependent on the U.S., the country’s longtime treaty ally.
The activists came from the largest left-wing umbrella group, Bayan (Nation), which has organized regular anti-U.S. protests in front of the embassy for decades, most of which are peaceful.
Duterte was on a state visit to China, where he is seeking to repair relations strained under his predecessor over territorial conflicts in the South China Sea. He is also seeking to expand trade and investments and financing for badly needed infrastructure projects.
Amid an uneasy relationship with the U.S., Duterte has tried to reach out to China and Russia, bringing uncertainty to his country’s long alliance with America.
But the protesters also opposed the president’s effort to lean toward China. “The Philippines will not be dictated on, whether by the U.S. or China,” they said in a statement.
The violence happened as the police and Duterte are under increased international scrutiny for their alleged role in the killings of thousands of drug suspects and pushers as part of the president’s war on illegal drugs.
Associated Press writer Jim Gomez contributed to this report.
36 responses to “Philippine police van rams protesters in front of U.S. Embassy”
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It is time to get out of the Philippines. They don’t want us there so lets leave. Cut off support and see were they end up. Just another reason to get out.
The sad thing is, my guess is the overwhelming majority of their population welcome and appreciate the U.S. presence. Like most places however; the vocal minority is what gets the attention. Politician or activist, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
agree Duterte encouraged the demonstrations.
Already a lap dog to China. Supot little boy in a adult world.
cholo wont ask how you know that. hopefully wasnt in person.
If that were to happen what would be the political alliance structure in that area ten years from now?
Most countries in that part of the world will still maintain alliance with the U.S. Now, they’re in a cross road: they want China’s money but do not want China’s oppressive system. But when push come to shove, they will side with the U.S. Looking back in history, the Chinese Communist Party had done terrible things and slaughter millions of their own people; even their own citizens do not trust them. Good luck Philippines!
Philippines and North Korea against the U.S. and China.
Depends on our defense strategy for the West Coast? If this outpost no longer fit into our defense strategy, by all means get out now that this President is opposed to presence?
True. Our presence in the Philippines is mainly for our benefit, namely a forward staging and listening post against China. If the Filipinos truly believe that they would be better off attached to China, so be it. It’s their country and after all, they voted for Duterte as their president.
I’m not sure the military benefit for the U.S. is that important, since the listening post role can be done by U.S. ships and the forward staging area is very doubtful.
Yeah good idea. US poured billions over there and Marcos just put in his own pocket. Go beg to China and Russia when they need help. They probably send a fruit cake saying,” we are praying for you.”
We can’t help it if they were stupid. It’s like some of the fools we elect as President.
You mean they might be tired of our middle-aged men buying their services?
Oh, oh…better stock up on manila folders.
After this typhoon hits, watch them beg for U.S. aid.
I ish berry soori watt I says. I lub America.
And watch the U.S. give aid. A lot of the aid comes from Filipinos who have immigrated to the U.S. Not real loyalty to the U.S. They remain loyal to their home country like most immigrants.
Dumb headline.Should have been: “Vandriver defeats attackers!” The driver should be getting an award!
…so how did it feel after being dragged under the van?
President on vacation while his country falling apart from protestors to a huge typhoon
He was well aware of what was going on but this way he could claim “no hands involved” in the matter.
But yeah, he instigated the culture that exists. I’m in favor of leaving there as well.
These protestors don’t want either but what are the underlying reasons Duterte is leaning towards China and Russia? Was there some putang ina that that has estranged this long time ally? Have we lost them along with Israel? Soon we we will stand alone. Our leaders do not recognize how to be a true friend in need at the right moments.
The United States is not the friend in need. Did we lose Israel? That country still depends on billions of US dollars in aid. Are we a friend in need to the Philippines? It is the reverse of that.
Are chosen allies reliant strictly upon dollars? Are you saying that they are our allies because we loan them money? I guess it has nothing to do with ideals and convictions. They why do we provide aid at all…to make them want to be our friends? When the money is gone casual friends disappear right? I would have to agree with that.
Withdraw whatever support we have left for that country. The alliance is unnecessary. The Philippines is not really a paying customer for our goods anyway, most of what they receive is in aid packages. The argument that we need the Philippines as a “forward listening post” for China is not defensible, it is the 21st Century, there is technology present that allows any first world power to monitor anyone they want wherever they may be.
Perhaps the US should consider ending our alliance with the Philippines reducing or eliminating military and economic aid since the attitude of the government under President Duerte has change since he came to power….let them stand on their own feet instead…..
I think the US sees the potential for radical muslims to take over the region.
What happen to Peace, Love and Happiness?
They were supplanted by Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Hahahahaha.lol, the 4th world country,hahaha. Duerte is a fool. They really want daaaa Pac Mon to be presidente. Bye,bye pillipinez. See you in a hundred years. Pull out any stocks invested in data pillI peens.
Not the best approach at curbing violence, since it just encouraged more violence. But the protestors appear out of control.
Duterte and his supporters probably planned and carried out this fake protest. Feel sorry for the majority of the Philippine people as they can’t point out how the U.S. has suppressed their people instead of helping them. But Duterte has admitted that he is a leftist.
Leftist? more like a neo-con. He seeks to destroy any semblance of progressive thought.
Duterte is just bluffing anyway. If he was serious, he would’ve pulled out his Phil. military officers who are stationed here with our US Military, like at Camp Smith.
Not taking either side of the political issue.
But if rowdy bunch of people surround a vehicle and hit it with sticks, they shouldn’t be surprised or angry when the driver knocks a few of them down while trying to get away in self defense. They should THANK the driver for knocking some sense into them!!!