PNP ready for Duterte’s address

July 18, 2017

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Oscar Albayalde said Tuesday Philippine National Police is 100 percent ready for the second State of the Nation Address  of President Rodrigo Duterte on July 24. "We are already prepared with the upcoming second SONA of the president", Albayalde said. There is no monitored security threat on the SONA of Duterte, he said. "We will be conducting one time, big time operations as part of our hardening measures but specifically we don't monitor (any) terror threat", Albayalde said. He said police visibility, mobile patrols, Oplan SITA will continue during SONA to attend other security concerns of the people. "We have more than 28, 000 personnel and we will only utilize  6,300 so we still have a lot of personnel that would cater to other peace and order concerns", Albayalde said. He said more than 6,000 civil disturbance management personnel and 300 officers, including arresting officers  and monitoring and intelligence operatives, will be deployed. Albayalde said more than a total 350 CDMs will be placed in each position. There are eight positions: Ever Gotesco Mall, Sandigan entry to Batasan, San Mateo Road, Everlasting Street, Katuparan Street and Batasan Road. About 10,000 to 15,000 members of militant groups are expected to stage a protest during the SONA of Duterte, he said. "One road will be closed, Sinag Tala if I'm not mistaken. We will close that .The militant groups can occupy it and protest there. Their mobile platform will be placed there so that's nearer by 15 to 20 meters", he said. Albayalde said they will divide the road from Commonwealth to Fairview on weekend to give way for the motorist to avoid terrible traffic. He said additional inspection areas has been placed to avoid traffic jam due to the arrival of the VIPs. Alabayalde said the uniformed personnel are instructed to practice maximum tolerance and respect human rights. The CDM contingents are not allowed to carry firearms , shield and baton as instruction of PNP Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, There will be Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) teams, Bureau of Fire Protection and mobile jails from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), he said. "We have to make arrest as we have repeatedly said while we respect democracy, freedom of speech freedom of assembly, we cannot allow anybody to trample on our law. We have to subscribe to the laws of the land because if not chaos and anarchy will take place in our country", said Alabayalde. PNP will have skeletal deployment of officers about over the weekend to secure the area. The full deployment of officers will be around 4 am. on Monday. Alabayalde said they will have a coordinating conference with the stakeholders and militant groups to hear their concerns. He said protesters are allowed to bring backpack provided the PNP will conduct random checks. "We will not prohibit backpacks because on our experience the people put their drinking water and food there", he said. (Alanna Ambi/DMS)