5,000 cops to secure Duterte’s SONA

MANILA, Philippines — At least 5,000 police officers will be deployed to secure President Duterte’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) announced yesterday.

“Maybe around 5,000 policemen, something like that,” NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said in a radio interview.

Eleazar said they are still finalizing security preparations for Duterte’s SONA.

He assured the public that police have sufficient forces to secure the event from saboteurs and terrorists.

Eleazar said they have not monitored any threat to Duterte’s address to the nation.

“Wala po tayong namo-monitor na ganyan pero patuloy ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng pulis sa lahat ng ahensya ng ating pamahalaan at ibang sektor para makakuha ng impormasyon,” he said.

In compliance with the President’s directive to exercise maximum tolerance, Eleazar said they would not prevent demonstrators from holding rallies for long as these are held peacefully.

He said shipping containers and barbed wires would not be laid out along Batasan Road and Commonwealth Avenue.

Policemen will not be armed with shields and truncheons as an act of goodwill, according to Eleazar.

But he said the police would not hesitate to use force if the protesters become unruly.

“If there is a need to disperse them and make arrests, we will do that if they break the law,” he said.