READY FOR SONA. PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil (center) inspects the deployment of police officers along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Monday (July 22, 2024) ahead of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s third SONA. Marbil said cops would exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with protesters but with limitations. (PNA photo by Lloyd Caliwan)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) will exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with protesters during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, but with limitations.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said he directed National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez to file civil and criminal cases if officers get hurt in the line of duty.
"If a rallyist is hurt, they file complaints against the police," Marbil said on the sidelines of the inspection of police deployment along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. “What about us? if we get hurt, we can't file complaints? No, we fill cases should this happen.”
Marbil said the PNP officers guarding the SONA would also ensure they will not impede vehicular traffic.
Quezon City Police District chief Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, meanwhile, said that they have not monitored any threats as of posting time.
He said they prepared for the SONA for two months and continuously gathered intelligence information.
The NCRPO deployed 23,000 officers and has been on full alert since Sunday.
A gun ban is in place until 11:59 p.m. while the local government imposed a liquor ban from 12:01 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with reports from Priam Nepomuceno and Benjamin Pulta/PNA)
