Mendiola Bridge, a battle scene of protests

Belarmino Dabalos Saguing
Rome, Italy 04/02/2013

Repost of BDsaguing note of 17/09/2012 Mendiola

Mendiola (renamed Don Chino Roces) Bridge is by now a Shrine of People’s resistance and considered symbol of institutionalized tyranny by activists in the Philippines for its bloody history from the Marcos regime to the present. 

To protect Malacañan Palace, authorities decided to close the part of Mendiola Street that starts at the sentinel gate in front of the College of the Holy Spirit and La Consolacion College Manila. Vehicles were then diverted to Concepcion Aguila Street, a narrow side street that passes through residential areas of San Miguel.

This is ridiculous. Closing a bridge to protect the Office/residence of the Philippine head of state from the people?

The bridge was renamed after Don Chino Roces to honor him for being an advocate of free speech and one of the leaders of the groups protesting the strong man rule of President Ferdinand Marcos. They often held rallies on the bridge and had experienced many “cannonization” there or in the vicinity courtesy of the fire department during the Marcos regime.

For protesters, Mendiola Bridge is an ideal rally site. It is within viewing distance of Gate 3 of Malacañang. The gate seen from Mendiola is the same gate which ralliers in the late ’60s rammed with a commandeered fire truck when they tried to storm Malacañang during a rally held at the bridge.

During the administration of Ferdinand Marcos, Mendiola Street was the site of the "Battle of Malacañang" or "The Battle of Mendiola Bridge" on January 30, 1970 which resulted in the deaths of four student demonstrators.

On January 22, 1987, crowd control troops opened fire on a protest rally of about 10,000 peasant farmers demanding genuine land reform from then President Corazon Aquino. Thirteen of the protesters were killed and hundreds injured in the incident now called the Mendiola massacre.

On May 1, 2001, supporters of President Joseph Estrada, angered by his arrest following his ouster from power earlier that year, marched to Mendiola Street after staging demonstrations outside the EDSA Shrine demanding the release of Estrada. A violent confrontation ensued between Estrada supporters and members of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, who were then tasked by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to secure Malacañan Palace and the areas surrounding it. Mendiola Street and the vicinity around Malacañan Palace became a front line after the protesters tried to storm the Palace. Casualties were high on both the Estrada supporters and government troops. Damage to property along Mendiola Street and areas within the vicinity of Malacañan Palace cost millions of pesos as a result of looting of stores and shops and burning of several government and private vehicles by the protesters. Later, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared a State of National Emergency but lifted it after two days.