The Philippine National Police (PNP) has advised organizers of the upcoming anti-corruption rallies to police their own ranks against potential destabilizers, even as it prepares to deploy 15,000 personnel across Metro Manila on Sunday, Nov. 30, to secure the mass mobilization.
Police Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., acting PNP chief, said officers will cover major protest sites for the “Baha sa Luneta 2.0” in Manila and the “Trillion Peso March” at the People Power Monument in Quezon City.
Other locations where gatherings are anticipated include the vicinities of Malacañan Palace; EDSA Shrine and the House of Representatives in Quezon City; the Senate in Pasay City, and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure in Taguig City.
The contingent will be composed of approximately 8,800 officers from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), while 6,200 personnel will be drawn from the Special Action Force (SAF) and regional police offices.
Nartatez stressed that the deployment is intended to ensure rapid response to emergencies and uphold law and order, not to intimidate protesters.
“The deployment is not about intimidation, it’s about readiness. We expect a large number of crowds in multiple activity areas so our personnel on the ground should be quick in responding to emergencies and even any violation of the law,” he said on Friday, Nov. 28.
“Let me be clear that law enforcement presence does not mean aggressive action. The order for maximum tolerance still remains,” he added.
The PNP also said it is taking proactive measures to prevent potential disruptions or infiltration by groups seeking to hijack the peaceful intent of the rallies, citing lessons from the September 21 protest in Manila where two fatalities and several injuries were recorded.
“There are always such considerations for large gatherings. Our intelligence monitoring is focused on potential agitators. Rest assured, we are coordinating closely with other agencies to prevent any attempt to hijack the peaceful intent of the rally,” Nartatez noted.
To enhance accountability, all officers deployed will use body-worn cameras while human rights affairs officers will be stationed across activity areas.
Police commanders have also been instructed to finalize security coordination with protest organizers.
The protests are fueled by revelations of alleged corruption in government flood control projects.
Organizers of the Baha sa Luneta, Trillion Peso March, and other similar movements have framed the November 30 rallies as a demand for stricter oversight of government projects and the prosecution of those allegedly responsible for corruption.
The PNP advised the organizers to police their own ranks to ensure that individuals calling for government destabilization would not be able to penetrate and cause chaos.
The protests will coincide with the 162nd birth anniversary of national hero Andres Bonifacio. (Martin Sadongdong)
