NCRPO asks protesters to postpone rallies during ASEAN

November 5, 2017

The National Capital Region Police Office urged on Sunday the militant groups to postpone their rallies during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings in Manila next week.

NCRPO chief Director Oscar Albayalde said in a radio interview that it would not only be the reputation of President Rodrigo Duterte which is at stake here but the whole country as well.

"This is for our country, our economy and for all the Filipino people," he said.

Albayalde said the militant groups have started recruiting members to join them in their ASEAN protests.

He said if the militant groups will push with their rallies, specific places, far from the venue of the meetings, have been designated for them.

"They can (protest) probably at Plaza Miranda, Liwasang Bonifacio or somewhere else. Definitely, they can't go near Roxas Boulevard. We will not allow it and we have a lot of CDM (Civil Disturbance Management) Contingent," he said.

The ASEAN meetings are mostly to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Albayalde said they will be deploying more or less 4,000 CDM contingent.

On Sunday, around 15,000 uniformed security and public safety personnel converged at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila for the send-off of forces and resources for the 31st ASEAN Summit and related meetings on November 10-14.

Albayalde said the deployment of personnel will be in batches.

Half of the total 60,000 security personnel will be deployed by November 10 and there will be 100 percent deployment on the following day. Ella Dionisio/DMS