PNP to deploy drones to secure SONA

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s police force received an added boost to its capabilities in securing President Marcos’ second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24 in the form of drones donated by Okada Manila.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. received five drones from representatives of the casino leisure firm during a courtesy call at Camp Crame in Quezon City yesterday.

The package is composed of four units of DJ Mini 3 Pro drones and one DJI Mavic 3 Thermal Enterprise drone. The initial donation is part of a total contribution of 44 drones and a drone jammer worth P10 million.

Acorda said the drones are equipped with state-of-the-art features such as high-resolution cameras, thermal imaging capabilities and real life-data transmission.

He added that they will use the unmanned aerial vehicles during the SONA to monitor crowds, traffic and potential security threats.

The PNP has started mobilizing police officers, assets and other resources in Quezon City to secure the SONA.

An initial deployment of 10 percent of the security contingent will be deployed in strategic areas along Commonwealth Avenue and areas surrounding the Batasang Pambansa complex where Marcos will deliver his speech. The PNP earlier said at least 22,081 state security forces and force multipliers will secure the SONA.

Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, PNP public information officer, said that more police officers will be deployed until Monday.

The Quezon City government has allowed anti-Marcos protesters to have their rally at the corner of Tandang Sora and Commonwealth Avenues while pro-administration groups were given the space near the Commission on Audit (COA) for their program.

Maranan warned demonstrators from militant groups not to set their effigies on fire as it is prohibited under environmental laws. He said police officers will stop protesters from burning effigies.

Members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), meanwhile, are working overtime to complete their effigy themed Doble Kara. The effigy is an image of a two-faced Marcos embossed in Tallano Gold, in reference to the mythical treasure of the Chief Executive’s family.

Bayan president Renato Reyes said the effigy symbolizes Marcos as a scion of a corrupt family which plundered the nation’s wealth and a leader obsessed with rebranding and reviving the notorious legacy of his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Reminder

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has reminded the PNP to protect the people’s right to peaceful protest as it deals with protesters during the second SONA of President Marcos on Monday.

“Law enforcers play an important role in enabling the citizens to exercise their rights in a safe and secure environment. We are hopeful that the PNP’s statement of assurance will translate to efforts by State forces to protect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest in the same manner that they will endeavor to ensure peace and order,” the CHR said in a press statement yesterday.

The CHR, meanwhile, reminded the protest groups to comply with requirements set under Batas Pambansa Bilang 880 (BP 880), among them a written permit in the conduct of a peaceful assembly in a public place.

The CHR said its investigators and lawyers from the Central Office and regional offices will monitor the rallies on Monday and will also “investigate as needed to ensure the conduct of peaceful protests.”

Education reform

The current government leadership should use its political capital to prioritize long-term reforms in the education sector, education advocacy group Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) said ahead of the SONA.

“Education is a multi-year, multi-decade, multi-administration problem, so it should be given the right attention and resources,” PBEd president Chito Salazar said, adding that they hoped Marcos would focus on the education sector in his SONA, particularly by laying out long-term reforms.

Electricity

Consumers continue to suffer under the administration of President Marcos as prices of electricity continue to soar, according to Roland Vibal, national coordinator for Kuryente.org.With the high cost of living in the country, Vibal said the high prices of electricity are an added burden for families whose monthly income is below the government’s ideal living wage of P1,500 a day.

He said every administration promised to ease the burden of consumers but failed due to neglect or indecisiveness. — Janvic Mateo, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Elizabeth Marcelo, Bella Cariaso