THE National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) leadership will held meeting with anti and pro administration groups who are expected to conduct protest action during the fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Rodrigo Duterte on July 22.
NCRPO director Major General Guillermo Eleazar said holding dialogues especially with militant groups is part of the security measures in order to maintain peace and order during the said event.
"We wanted to hear what the two forces wanted for us at the NCRPO command staff to discuss how to secure them. We don't want them to be in the same places as what they are preaching or shouting might ignite trouble," he said.
Eleazar said the coordination, cooperation, and understanding between the police, stakeholders, community leaders, and cause-oriented groups particularly on self-policing, no-permit no-rally policy, traffic rerouting, their designated areas and other public services will be among the matters they will discuss during the meeting.
He said policemen were ordered to observe maximum tolerance but he also noted that they will not hesitate to use force once protesters became unruly.
Eleazar said as the usual practice in the last three SONAs of Duterte as an act of goodwill, policemen will not be armed with shields and truncheons while there will also be no shipping containers and barbed wires which are being used to prevent the protesters from going near the House of the Representatives.
“As usual, our police will exercise maximum tolerance but at the same time we asked the militant groups to do their share and police their ranks to ensure a peaceful and orderly SONA day,” said Eleazar.
He said no one will be prevented from holding picket rallies “for as long as these are held peacefully.”
Eleazar said all police offices in the Metro were ordered to strengthen their anti-criminality measure and police visibility during the said day.
The NCRPO chief, however, noted that they are yet to monitor any imminent security threat against the conduct of Sona.
Earlier, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde, said at least 9,000 policemen will be fielded during the Sona.
Albayalde said the PNP Civil Disturbance Management units, along with their counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, have been holding competitions which also serves as training to hone their skills in dealing with protesters, not only in Metro Manila but nearby police regional offices such as Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Special Action Force.
He said the PNP has yet to record any violent dispersal of protesters staging mass actions since Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016. (SunStar Philippines)