Police officers attempted to arrest former Associated Press editor and veteran photojournalist Bullit Marquez while he was covering a protest in Pasay City on Wednesday, July 22, as tensions escalated between demonstrators and authorities near the venue of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

The incident occurred as members of progressive group Bayan and other activist organizations clashed with police during a march toward the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), the venue of the ASEAN Summit. The groups staged a rally opposing the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the regional gathering and the proposed U.S.-led Pax Silica project.

In a footage obtained by DZRH News, several police officers can be seen trying to restrain Marquez amid the tense confrontation between demonstrators and law enforcers.

Marquez said the confrontation began after he attempted to photograph the arrest of a protester, which he claimed police officers tried to prevent from being documented.

According to Marquez, officers blocked his camera while he was taking photos, prompting him to utter an expletive in the heat of the moment.

The photojournalist added officers then grabbed him, causing his camera to fall to the ground and sustain damage.

"Tinatakpan ‘yung camera ko, hinawi ko [yung kamay]... nakapagbigkas ako nang hindi masyadong maganda. Siyempre, reaction lang naman yun. Tapos, hinihila ako. Tapos, paghila sa akin, bumagsak yung camera ko. Nalaglag yung camera ko… pagka-pulot ko ng gano'n, ina-arrest na ako tapos, balak daw akong pusasan," Marquez said.

"Ayaw nila pakunan… itong pag-aresto dun sa isang protester," he added.

Marquez said police appeared to have mistaken him for one of the protesters, leading them to stop him while he was performing his duties as a photojournalist.

He said he resisted the attempted arrest and eventually walked away from the officers.

Fellow members of the media later intervened and defended him during the incident.

As of posting time, authorities have yet to issue a statement regarding Marquez’s account of the incident.