PNP sets up barricades, deploys personnel on 54th Martial Law commemoration - GMA Network

Barricades have been set up at Ayala Bridge in Manila on Sunday evening as part of preparations for the expected protest activities on Monday, September 21, 2026, the commemoration of the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law.

Police installed steel wires and container vans on the bridge as early as Sunday evening, according to a report by Olan Bola on Super Radyo dzBB.

At EDSA Shrine in Quezon City, police were already on site before dawn on Monday, according to Mark Makalalad of Super Radyo dzBB.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said on Sunday that more than 17,000 police personnel will be deployed across Metro Manila for activities marking the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law.

The NCRPO initially said that more than 15,000 police officers would be deployed for activities expected on Monday.

“As of 12 noon, we will deploy around 17,085 personnel, including our CDM contingents and contingents from various neighboring regions,” NCRPO spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Hazel Asilo said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

Based on the latest assessment by authorities, mobilizations are expected at the EDSA Shrine, People Power Monument, Mendiola and Liwasang Bonifacio, as well as near government agencies such as the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“Based on our assessment, the expected number of attendees at these gatherings is around 3,000,” Asilo said.

On Sunday, several groups held a protest rally at the EDSA Shrine as they continue to seek accountability from those involved in corruption, just a day before the 54th commemoration of the Martial Law declaration.

Various groups in Calumpit, Bulacan also took to the streets to rally against corruption amid the flooding that continues to inundate several parts of the province.

The PNP Manila Police District, on the other hand, has issued a traffic advisory to guide motorists along the streets of the City of Manila.

Classes for Monday, September 21, 2026, have been suspended in some areas in observance of the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law or for other reasons including school safety and air quality. — BAP/KG, GMA News