More than 60 hurt in SONA clash

MANILA, Philippines - More than 60 people were hurt as policemen and protesters clash along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City before President Benigno Aquino III delivered his fourth State of the Nation Address at the Batasan Pambansa complex on Monday afternoon.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said that at least 21 policemen and 41 protesters were hurt during a shoving match between the two groups.

Director Gilbert Boiser of the CHR-National Capital Region said they will evaluate the incident to determine which group should be blamed for the violent dispersal.

Boiser said the three CHR monitoring teams, composed of eight members each, observed that several policemen involved in the dispersal did not have nameplates on their uniforms.

"Napapansin namin walang nameplate yung police... Hindi dapat gamitin firetruck sa pag-disperse. Pwede silang ipatawag at sampahan kaso," he told Philstar.com.

Boiser, meanwhile, said that the protesters may also be held liable for destruction of government property when they tore down the iron barricade of the center island near Ever Gotesco Mall as they tried to move to the southbound lane of the highway.

"We also monitored an alleged military DPA (deep penetration agent) who infiltrated the ranks of the militant groups during the march," he said.

Police earlier reported that nine protesters were arrested during the clash.