Anti-graft protest in Philippines marred by violence (VIDEOS)

An anti-graft protest in the Philippines became violent on Sunday as some activists clashed with riot police on the streets of Manila.

Officers used water cannons to disperse stone-throwing demonstrators, according to footage from the scene. Health officials said dozens of people were treated for injuries, and the authorities reported finding the body of an unidentified man with a stab wound at one protest site.

At a press conference on Monday, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said 216 people had been arrested, including 89 minors. Of those detained, 24 were 14 years old or younger.

Remulla said rioters “crossed the line” by throwing a Molotov cocktail at officers, which sparked the violence. Domagoso vowed to “throw the book” at those responsible and prosecute as many as possible.

The clashes followed largely peaceful demonstrations against so-called “ghost projects” meant to create anti-flooding infrastructure for the country. The anti-graft movement was supported by the Catholic Church, which is highly influential in the overwhelmingly Christian country, and endorsed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Marcos flagged nearly 10,000 flood-control projects as suspicious in his annual state of the nation address in late July. The government estimates that alleged corruption tied to the projects caused at least $2 billion in economic damage between 2023 and 2025.

Sunday’s demonstration coincided with the anniversary of the 1972 declaration of martial law in the Philippines by Ferdinand Marcos, whose son now occupies the office.