By Mar Gabriel
Eagle News Service
At least 6,000 policemen will be deployed to secure the vicinity of the Batasang Pambansa Complex, where President Rodrigo Duterte is slated to hold his third State of the Nation Address on July 23.
According to National Capital Region Police Office Director, Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, this was despite the fact there were so far no threats being monitored in Metro Manila based on a report from the National Intelligence Coordinating Authority.
“Hindi tayo pwedeng maging kumpyansa. You never know,” Eleazar said.
Colonel Noel Detoyato, AFP Public Affairs Office chief, said around 600 soldiers from the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region will also provide support to the policemen.
This was reportedly aside from the augmentation forces from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
According to Eleazar, on Saturday, the NCRPO was slated to hold a dialogue with rallyists who were planning to hold a program on that day.
He said so far, it was unclear if the police would allow the rallyists to hold the program on IBP road or on Commonwealth Ave.
“We are considering all factors,” he said.
He said the NCRPO would also invite a representative from the Commission on Human Rights to observe the activity.
