Security in Cebu City in place for SONA

CEBU, Philippines —  All security measures are already in place in Cebu City for President Rodrigo Duterte’s last State of the Nation Address (SONA) today.

The city cops are monitoring possible mass actions of several pro- and anti-administration groups here.

“It is better to be prepared for any eventuality and nothing happens than to be unprepared and something unexpected happens,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, CCPO deputy director for operations.

Parilla said two platoons from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion, a rapid reaction peacekeeping contingent of the Police Regional Office-7, are on standby to assist the city police force.

Each platoon has 30 personnel who will be deployed in four different areas, where protest actions are usually held.

These are Plaza Independencia, Fuente Osmeña and in front of the Department of Labor and Employment-7 and PRO-7.

Parilla reminded rallyists to get permits and to strictly observe the government’s minimum health protocols.

“Failure to present permit and to observe protocols, they will be asked to disperse,” he said.

Police personnel are directed to observe maximum tolerance towards demonstrators.

To recall, at last year's SONA, though, police arrested members of transport group Piston who were on their way to a mobilization at the University of the Philippines Diliman hours before the SONA had actually started.

To prevent COVID-19 transmission, especially the highly transmissible coronavirus variant, Delta, Parilla urged protesters not to hold their mass actions in-person.

"Atong awhagon atong mga militante nga dili lang usa mag-rally labi na karon nga nagkataas atong cases. Kun pwede dili lang usa ta magpahigyon og mga protesta,"said Parilla. — KQD (FREEMAN)