SOME 12,000 policemen will be deployed to secure President Marcos Jr’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, the PNP said yesterday.
The police deployment was the primary issue discussed during a special command conference presided over by PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III at Camp Crame.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said the figure may increase “if there is a need to deploy more personnel on the ground.”
The PNP has a “reserve force,” she added.
Some 23,000 policemen secured last year’s SONA which was marred by protests staged by around 3,000 demonstrators.
Police described last year’s SONA as “generally peaceful” with no major untoward incident.
Fajardo said the PNP is due to meet with the House sergeant at arms “to iron out some of the security protocols that will be observed within and outside the House of Representatives” during the SONA.
She said Torre ordered concerned PNP units to conduct an “honest to goodness threat assessment.”
Fajardo said the PNP will also hold a dialogue with groups that traditionally conduct protest actions during SONAs.
“We are doing that to ensure that the activities they will be conducting will be peaceful,” she said.
The PNP said Torre, at the command conference, “underscored the importance of unity, vigilance, and proactive leadership in ensuring a peaceful and orderly conduct of the President’s annual address.”
“The PNP stands ready to uphold its mandate to protect the public and secure national events of great significance, such as the SONA,” it added.
PROGRAMS
Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said he is expecting the president to discuss in the SONA how to further improve the country’s infrastructure projects and other matters relating to uplifting the lives of the Filipinos.
Ejercito said the President should also tackle energy development and public service concerning universal health care.
“I hope he concentrates again on infrastructure development because we really need them. That’s what other countries did 30 years ago and now we are trying to catch up,” he said in mixed English and Filipino during a Senate media forum.
He said political bickering has slowed down the country’s progress since it affected investors’ confidence.
“We lost a lot of momentum … I may sound like a broken record, but our ASEAN neighbors seem to be all doing the rights things. Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand are all in the right direction and they are continuously progressing. Now I am worried because Vietnam has really overtaken,” he said.
He said the political developments, including the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte has caused “economic disruption.”
“It’s a politically charged activity … Whether you are in favor of the impeachment or not, we have to go through the process as it is our constitutional mandate … But I hope that this will end at the soonest possible time so that we can go back to our challenges and things that we have to really give attention to,” he added. – With Raymond Africa
