THE Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is preparing security measures for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday, July 27, 2026.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Franco Rodulf Oriol, CCPO deputy city director for administration, two platoons of Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) personnel have been placed on standby, with the final deployment depending on intelligence assessments.
Police expect protest rallies by militant groups, including marches from Fuente Osmeña Rotunda to Colon Street and from Freedom Park to Plaza Independencia.
Oriol said the CCPO will allow demonstrators to hold their activities while ensuring public safety. Station commanders have been instructed to deploy officers to secure the protest routes and maintain peace.
Police will also focus on keeping traffic flowing smoothly, particularly for commuters and emergency vehicles such as ambulances.
While Oriol did not disclose the exact number of officers to be deployed, he said police patrols will be increased throughout the city to ensure a safe, orderly, and peaceful SONA.
He assured that the police will observe maximum tolerance and will not use force against peaceful demonstrators if tensions arise. He also expressed confidence that protest groups in Cebu would remain peaceful, unlike in some other parts of the country.
Although the CCPO has not yet received orders to raise its alert status, it is prepared to do so if directed by the Police Regional Office 7. Authorities said they have not received any specific security threats, but intelligence monitoring has been intensified as a precaution. (AYB)
