THE Manila Police District (MPD and progressive youth organization Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) are at odds following allegations that police officers stole mobile phones from activists during a Martial Law anniversary protest on Monday, September 21.
SPARK has formally requested assistance from the National Police Commission (Napolcom) to locate and recover two missing mobile phones belonging to its members.
According to the group, GPS tracking data showed that one of the devices—an iPhone 15 Plus—was tracked moving from Camp Crame in Quezon City toward the Greenhills area in San Juan City.
The group forcefully rejected initial statements from law enforcement regarding the return of seized property, accusing the police of attempting to deflect responsibility after physically assaulting and robbing their members during the dispersal.
SPARK clarified that the single phone returned by officers to a lawyer was separate from the two devices allegedly stolen from their group.
In response, police officials urged the public not to rush to judgment, insisting that GPS location data alone is insufficient to prove the missing devices were taken by officers or held within police custody.
Police maintained that location logs indicated the tracked phone was positioned outside Camp Crame rather than inside the compound itself.
Authorities stated that it remains unverified whether the devices were stolen, left behind, or misplaced during the commotion, while offering to submit official video recordings of the property return and other relevant evidence to support a fair and impartial investigation into the incident.
