by The SUN Team
About 30 Filipino migrants picketed the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong earlier today, Oct. 20, to denounce the bloody dispersal by Philippine police of a rally outside the U.S. Embassy in Manila.
About 50 peole were reportedy injured, including three who were mowed down by a police van.
The Hong Kong rally was slightly marred when protest leader
Eman Villanueva of Bayan Muna Hong Kong and Macau riled at the heavy security presence in the Consulate.
"There are more police personnel here than (there are) protesters. Why?, " said a visibly angry Villanueva. He said this was unnecessary, as the most that they could do was to submit a petition letter detailing their concern and demands.
Some of the protesters called on Consul General Bernardita Catalla to come out and meet them. However, Consulate staff said she was in Beijing as part of the official delegation of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's who is there on a state visit.
About 20 people joined the rally, called to condemn police for the violent dispersal of the U.S. Embassy protesters who were mostly indigenous people calling for an end to military persecution in their homeland.
Their protest was dispersed with the use of tear gas, truncheons and a police van driven by an officer identified as SPO3 Franklin Kho., which mowed down some of the protesters
A video showing the vehicle knocking down the marchers was shared earlier by Villanueva on Facebook and within an hour it had attracted about a thousand views and was shared by scores of viewers.
The Hong Kong protesters condemned the “brutal dispersal” and demanded the immediate release of the more than 20 people, including indigenous tribesmen from Mindanao, who were arrested during the melee.
Those who saw and shared the video called the attack "insane” and “outrageous”.
The video shows the van being driven wildly back and forth after protesters surrounded and started hitting it with batons.
Before the van driver went berserk, police lobbed teargas as protesters broke through a security cordon and pelted the police and a US government emblem with red paint bombs.
“There was absolutely no justification for it. Even as the president Duterte) vowed an independent foreign policy, Philippine police forces still act as running dogs of the U.S.", said protest leader Renato Reyes.
However, Manila police officials denied the ramming, saying the protesters had tried to flip the vehicle. They also claimed to have the same number of casualties as the protesters.
