Police asked motorists and commuters for understanding Monday after blocking off a key road leading to the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City where President Benigno Aquino III will deliver his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Quezon City police head Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele noted the closure of the northbound part of Commonwealth Avenue affected many motorists and commuters as Monday remains a regular working day.

"Humihingi tayo ng paumanhin sa naapektuhan. Di kaparehas mabilis ang going north (We ask those affected for understanding. We know it is not as fast to travel north because the northbound lane had been closed)," Mantele said in an interview on dzRH radio.

Police closed off the northbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue since midnight Sunday, as a security precaution for Aquino's SONA later in the afternoon.

Traffic was diverted to the southbound lane of the avenue.

Aside from closing off the northbound lane, police also placed barbed wire, container vans and plastic barricades along Commonwealth Avenue. Dump trucks and fire trucks were brought in to parts of the road as well.

Hoping for rains to fall

Police are also counting on Monday's forecast rains to dampen protests timed for Aquino's SONA.

"Meron tayong kakampi sa taas. Lahat naman takot magkasakit, ayaw magpa-araw at ayaw magpa-ulan (We expect an ally from up above. We know people don’t want to get sick. They are already exposed to the sun, they will not be likely to expose themselves to the rain)," National Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said on dzBB radio.

But militants remained unfazed, promising up to 10,000 people will join the protest marches and rallies Monday afternoon.

Some 1,000 members of militant groups started gathering at the Quezon Memorial Circle as early as 5 a.m. to march to Commonwealth Avenue, dzBB’s Roland Bola reported.

Other militants had held a vigil near the Department of Agriculture and Department of Agrarian Reform offices in Quezon City since Sunday night.

They brought with them a carabao to stress their call for agrarian reform, and effigies supposedly representing the Mendiola massacre, political prisoners, imperialism and other issues.

“Sa kabuuan 5,000 to 10,000 (We expect 5,000 to 10,000 to join our protest activities)," Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide secretary general George San Mateo said in a separate interview on dzBB.

Police from Bicol, Ilocos

As early as 4 a.m., police brought in personnel as far as the Ilocos and Bicol regions to guard parts of Commonwealth Avenue.

Radio dzBB’s Roland Bola reported some 300 police personnel from Bicol arrived in six buses and were deployed near the Ever Gotesco and St. Peter’s Church area.

Police personnel were also stationed along the San Mateo-Quezon City Bridge and Litex areas to keep protesters from sneaking to the Batasan complex.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority also placed plastic barriers along the northbound part of Commonwealth Avenue. — RSJ, GMANews.TV