The Philippine National Police (PNP) and other government agencies are fully-prepared to handle the security and other peace and order concerns for the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. on Monday, July 24, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) assured.
“Yung every address (SONA) year na ginagawa nating paghahanda, hindi lamang mas handa ngayon kasi through the years alam mo na kung saan mo ilalagay at idedeploy ang mga tao (In every address year we are preparing for, we are not only more prepared now since through the years we know where to put and deploy our personnel),’’ said DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos
What is important, according to him, is for the law enforcers to always practice maximum tolerance especially that protesters are expected when the President delivers his speech at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
Abalos noted that the PNP and other concerned authorities are prepared and coordinated with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in advance to address pressing concerns related to traffic plans and sanitation and cleanliness issues after the SONA.
“So kumpleto na ito (this is complete), we are very prepared for the SONA, ang PNP , sa traffic, all about peace and order and public safety (the PNP is prepared to address traffic issues, maintain peace and order and public safety),’’ Abalos said.
For his part, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. assured the PNP’s preparedness for the SONA.
He explained that the PNP has been monitoring areas where protesters may converge and rallies and protest matches may occur, identifying the groups of rallyists and unearthing if there are activists threatening to disrupt public law and order.
Acorda said more than 22,000 PNP personnel are deployed in various areas of the national capital Region (NCR), excluding those in the different regions where rallies are also expected to be conducted.
He also assured that the PNP will prevent any confrontation between the pro and anti administrations groups to avert any violent or even bloody occurrences.
He noted that the police personnel deployed in the various rally sites and other similar areas will be provided with raincoats in case of inclement weather brought by Typhoon ‘Egay’.
Acorda pointed out that command centers will be deployed and CCTV cameras and drones are included in the PNP’s deployment activity in the areas covering the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).