MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday plans are in place to secure President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s 2nd State of the Nation Address (SONA) and respond to the three-day transport strike by some groups on July 24.
Speaking to reporters at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said more than 22,000 police officers would be deployed to secure the President’s SONA.
“We are 100 percent ready for deployment and we are also in coordination with even private individuals. They are providing technical aspect (such as) CCTV coverage in all areas, as well as drones that we are going to deploy drones to make sure that all areas are covered when it comes to video in camera,” Acorda said.
He said the PNP has conducted simulation exercises, communication exercises, walk-throughs, clearing operations, and contingency planning in case of protest rallies.
“We will be deploying more or less mga 22,000 police personnel and part of this will be the Civil Disturbance Management and we can see we are preparing for the worst. Pero sana yung nakikita natin, mga pinapraktis natin, ay hindi na ma-exercise (Hopefully, what we have practiced would not be exercised). I hope and pray for the peaceful conduct of rally and respect for each other,” Acorda said.
The country’s top cop likewise assured that maximum tolerance would be exercised.
“What we don’t want is an escalation of violence, especially among those protesters. I am appealing to our fellow Filipinos who will be doing these rallies to make sure that they are in the exercise of their rights, not to trample on the rights of other people, including our police,” he said.
Acorda said the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) has been holding dialogues with various groups to ensure peaceful protest rallies.
He also assured that they are coordinating with intelligence units and the military to detect and curb any security threat.
Likewise, Acorda said the PNP would work with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and other agencies to assist commuters who might be affected by the transport holiday.
“Magde-deploy din tayo ng mga buses on the PNP and even other agencies, magbibigay din, just to make sure that if there will be vacuum created by this tigil pasada, this will be filled up by our interagency coordination (We will also deploy buses. Other agencies will also contribute just to make sure that any vacuum created by the transport strike would be filled up by our interagency coordination),” he said.
A total of 1,354 MMDA personnel have been tasked to manage both vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the area, as well as assist in emergencies and conduct road and sidewalk clearing operations.
They will also support the operations of the Task Force SONA 2023, the Philippine National Police, Quezon City Police District, the Presidential Security Group, and the Quezon City government.
Article 7, Section 23 of the Constitution requires the President to “address the Congress at the opening of its regular session.”
The President delivers the SONA every year, usually held every last Monday of July, to report the state of the country, unveil the administration’s agenda, and ask Congress to pass priority measures. (PNA)
