PROTEST rallies will not be allowed in areas near the inauguration of outgoing Davao City Mayor and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio on Sunday, June 19, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) said.
DCPO Director Alberto Lupaz told SunStar Davao in a phone interview that they are anticipating demonstrators on that day.
Lupaz said that protestors may only conduct their activities at the Freedom Park in Roxas Avenue, which is designated as the sole rally zone in the city.
"They are not allowed to conduct rallies anywhere else in Davao City, except in the Freedom Park," he said.
"Ngayon, if mag-rally sila dito para magsamok-samok sila sa inauguration, definitely buwagin namin sila (Now if they will rally to cause chaos during the inauguration, definitely we will disperse them)," he added.
The police official said they deployed their Civil Disturbance Management Unit to dismantle the demonstrator who will disrupt the event.
Other than Freedom Park, he said demonstrators may be arrested if they attempt to do their activity elsewhere in the city.
Lupaz said all the measures and policies are in accordance with the "Oplan Panunumpa" issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP) central office, which would also be used in the oathtaking of Duterte-Carpio's runningmate, former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
The oathtaking of Duterte-Carpio will be on Sunday afternoon at the intersection of San Pedro Street and Bolton Street. The event will start with a thanksgiving mass from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., followed by the inaugural ceremony from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Musikahan-Pasasalamat from 6 p.m. onwards.
Prominent officials will be attending the event, including the outgoing mayor's father, outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, and former president and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Marcos has not confirmed his attendance on that day.
The event is open to the public, but they are reminded that wearing backpacks and jackets is not allowed inside the venue, while items with pointed objects such as sticks, umbrellas, sharp objects and the like will be confiscated.
The PNP announced on Wednesday, June 16, that it will implement a gun ban in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Davao Region in preparation for the inauguration of Marcos and Duterte-Carpio.
PNP Directorate for Operations Major General Valeriano De Leon said the gun ban will start in Metro Manila at midnight on June 27 until July 2.
In Davao, the gun ban will be effective from 12:01 a.m. on June 16 until June 21.
Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao spokesperson Police Major Eudisan Gultiano said in a radio interview that San Pedro Street will be a “no-fly zone” wherein drones will not be allowed to be operated within the area. Gultiano, meanwhile, has yet to clarify if these would also include aircraft.
She added that strict measures will be imposed, including thorough inspections.