PNP to create security task force for Marcos’ first SONA

MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) will form a task force to supervise the overall implementation of security measures for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25 at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

According to PNP director for operations, Maj. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, the task force will also closely collaborate with other government agencies for the traffic rerouting, handling of protesters, and other security issues.

“The security preparations would not be as stringent as the inauguration because this will be done in a closed building, but still, we have to be very careful about the surroundings, especially that Quezon City is a populated area,” said de Leon in a statement on Thursday.

De Leon stated that a security plan for the event has already been presented by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Felipe Natividad to Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. last week.

Around 15,000 cops, soldiers, and other force multipliers from other government agencies will be tapped to secure the event based on the plan.

“The presentation was impressive, but there will be minor adjustments in the actual deployment,” said de Leon.

The PNP, according to De Leon, will also designate freedom parks where protesters can conduct their programs just like what was done during the inauguration of Marcos at the National Museum in Manila on June 30.

“We expect rallyists to air their issues, but we encourage them to hold it at the right venue. There will be dialogue on this matter with them. We also have to respect their rights. As our PNP OIC (officer-in-charge) Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr., said, we will exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with them in order to avoid unnecessary confrontation,” he added.

De Leon also appealed to the protesters to give the new administration a chance to lay down the plans and implement them in the next six years.

Natividad affirmed that the preparations for securing Marcos’ first SONA have already started early after the success of his inauguration in June this year.

Natividad also confirmed that a same template and security package used during Marcos’ inauguration will be applied.

“NCRPO is tasked to secure and maintain the peace and order before, during, and after the event. With this, a total of 15,174 security forces will be deployed; 9,919 from the organic NCRPO personnel, 1,891 from PNP support units and 3, 364 from other coordinating agencies and other peacekeeping partners,” Natividad said in a separate statement.

As part of the security preparations, Natividad said, a series of deliberate inter-agency coordination meetings is expected with the presence of representatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), local government units (LGUs), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), force multipliers, volunteer groups, and other concerned agencies in order to iron out specific individual tasks, contingency plans and coordinating instructions appertaining to the security aspect in and out of the House of Representatives which is the venue for the event.

He added that a dialogue with various community leaders, stakeholders, and civil society leaders will be held to address concerns about preventing unnecessary crowds from flocking to the venue, particularly those with plans of anger or sabotage.

“’No Permit, No Rally’ will also be implemented. Those who will conduct mass assemblies in places other than designated freedom parks must secure permit from the local government before they can huddle and carry out their program or activity, provided further that they adhere to the law of peaceful assembly. Any attempt to occupy places not authorized, the CDM (civil disturbance management) contingent will disperse the group or assembly,” said Natividad.

He stated that the 34 border control points will be activated to secure southern, eastern, and northern boundaries in cooperation and collaboration with neighboring regional police offices and AFP counterparts.