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Monday, July 23, 2007
5T cops to secure Arroyo's national address
MANILA -- Contingency measures are now in place to ensure the peaceful delivery of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's State of the Nation Address at the Batasan Complex in Quezon City on Monday, police said.
This early, though, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said there is no direct threat to the event.
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NCRPO spokesman Rodel Sermonia said at least 5,000 policemen from the different police districts in Metro Manila are being deployed to secure the Sona, which also marks the opening of the new Congress.
Sermonia said they would be augmented by troops from the regional police offices and the military command, whose primary function is to secure the seat of government.
He said the police force has not received any information about plans to sabotage the Sona but has been on full alert for the past days.
"We always expect the worse but as of now everything is in order and, like what I said, we have yet to receive intelligence reports pertaining to threats. When we are on heightened alert, we are always prepared," Sermonia said.
Sermonia also denied reports that Metro Manila policemen were blocking rallyists coming from the provinces. He said the policemen were checking the entry of individuals to ensure the safety of the Sona.
"This is part of the security coverage so that we cannot be infiltrated by rogue elements, terrorists, criminals and by those who are planning to sabotage the address tomorrow (Monday)," he said.
He appealed to rallyists to abide by the agreement reached during a dialogue last Friday. "...that we will cooperate to avoid violence and to police themselves," he said.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will dispatch 800 traffic enforcers, rescue paramedic teams, emergency equipment, engineering support units, mobile convoy escorts, towing services, and radio-telecommunication facilities as part of the inter-agency plan to maintain peace and order during the President's Sona.
MMDA Traffic Operations Center Executive Director Angelito Vergel de Dios said his office and police personnel converged as early as Saturday evening near St. Peter's Church on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City to discuss measures on how to secure Sona.
De Dios said they would continue their operation against illegally parked vehicles especially those that obstruct traffic along Commonwealth Avenue and other roads that link to the Batasan Complex.
From 8 a.m. Monday, the northbound section of Commonwealth Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic while the opposite portion would be converted into a two-traffic zone.
The MMDA and the PNP-Traffic Management Group (TMG) will also be on the lookout for unauthorized private utility vehicles (PUV) heading towards Commonwealth Avenue. At least 75 traffic enforcers are deployed to the area to ensure manageable flow of traffic there.
Senator Francis Escudero, who belongs to the opposition, will attend the Sona if only to remind President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of their sweeping victory in the last elections.
Escudero said his other fellow opposition's presence at the Sona is to demonstrate how the opposition would closely watch the Arroyo administration for any abuse or acts of corruption.
He said Arroyo's statement should truly reflect the state of the nation and not just piped dreams. The report, according to him, should clearly outline how she delivered on her spiraling prices and working populace's low income.
The June 28-July 10 survey of Pulse Asia has shown that only minority of Filipinos believe that President Arroyo's Sona would be truthful.
The survey, which had 1,200 respondents, showed that 59 percent of Filipinos are aware of the past Sona of Arroyo.
But of the 59 percent, only 16 percent said the President's upcoming Sona on Monday would be truthful.
Twenty-nine percent said it would not be truthful while 55 percent are not sure.
After a year, 52 of the 59 percent who were aware of the 2006 Sona are still unsure if the President's speech was truthful while 32 percent said it was not. Only 16 percent said it was truthful.
The level of indecision on the truthfulness of Monday's Sona was highest in Arroyo's bailiwick in the Visayas at 62 percent. (VR/AH/CPB/JMR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (July 23, 2007 issue)
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