At least 12,000 policemen will be tapped to secure the areas around and all roads leading to and from the Batasang Pambansa for the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Marcos on Monday, July 28.
“More or less that would be the deployment unless of course we will deem it necessary to add the deployment of our personnel over the prevailing security situation,” said Police Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“The full deployment will be in the early morning of July 28, the PNP will be in full force by that time,” she added.
Part of the deployment of personnel, according to Fajardo, are those who were tasked to secure parts of Metro Manila and the rest of the country against criminal elements and threat groups.
“Aside from SONA, there will be skeletal deployment for anti-criminality efforts including police checkpoints,” said Fajardo.
Aside from the 12,000 personnel, Fajardo said they expect other government agencies to deploy their respective personnel for the SONA.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the military earlier said they will assist in the SONA security and other matters, including traffic management.
Fajardo said that based on their monitoring, at least three groups were given the permit to hold activity during the SONA.
And she said they will make sure that the content of the permit will be properly observed.
For instance, Fajardo said the group Bayan was given a permit to hold rally near the St. Peter’s Church while another group, the Tindig Pilipinas requested to hold activity along White Plains.
The pro-administration groups, on the other hand, were given a go-signal to converge near the Sandiganbayan on Commonwealth Avenue.
“We have been coordinating with them, particularly on policing their own ranks to avoid unnecessary friction,” said Fajardo.
She said the IBP Road, based on the security arrangement, will be closed to all protesters—whether pro or anti-administration. (Aaron Recuenco)
