https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q-WrxEuPsE
(Eagle News) – The Philippine National Police said that the whole country’s police force is now on full alert status starting 6 a.m. today, Saturday, July 20, in preparation for President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 22.
This means that all policemen are obligated to report to their respective assignments, as all their leaves are cancelled.
This is also in preparation for President Duterte’s fourth SONA.
PNP Chief General Oscar Albayalde said that so far, they have not received any serious threat to the country’s security.
But he said the PNP is already 100 percent prepared for Monday’s event.
“I think nandyan na lahat. Wala na tayong kailangan pang i-prepare, although sabi nga natin we cannot say that our preparation is foolproof not until the SONA is over,” Albayalde said,
“Pero with regards to preparation, 100 percent na preparation natin even the other regions. May mga naka-standby na tayo na forces just in case na kailangan natin ng reinforcements coming from the different regions,” he said.
Earlier, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other agencies held an inter-agency coordination meeting to finalize security plans for the July 22 SONA.
-More than 18,000 men to be deployed-
More than 18,000 policemen, soldiers, and personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) are expected to be deployed on Monday.
Aside from this, civilian intelligence officers will also be deployed for the SONA event, including in the areas where protest rallies will be held.
“As of this time, we have not received any threat whatsoever from any threat group or from any individual. Of course we will be stricter when it comes to security protocols kaya nga tayo nagdagdag ng tao both uniformed and non-uniformed,” Albayalde said.
“We will be fielding non-uniformed or Intelligence monitoring teams doon sa mismong rally site not only for the protection of the community but also for the protection of the protesters themselves para maiwasan natin yung makasingit dito,” the PNP chief explained.
As to whether the telecommunication company should turn off cellphone signals in the area, this will be up to the Presidential Security Group, according to the PNP.
(with a video report from Mar Gabriel, Eagle News Service)
