5,000 cops to be deployed in Metro Manila for Duterte's SONA 2019

The Philippine National Police will deploy 5,000 cops to ensure peace and order during the State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, July 22, according to a report on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday.

Nasa 5,000 pulis, ipapakalat sa Metro Manila para sa SONA ni Pang. Rodrigo Duterte. #SuperBalitaSaTanghali https://t.co/Jl7zdr1z8I

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) June 9, 2019

National Capital Region Police Office chief Major General Guillermo Eleazar said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB that police officers will observe maximum tolerance toward rallyists as long as their assembly is peaceful.

"Tayo po ay very considerate, ipapatupad natin ang maximum tolerance pero kailangan ng pag-uusap at kailangan sundin ang mapag-uusapan, as long as hindi makakaapekto ito sa peace and order hahayaan po natin sila," he said.

"Ang frontliner po sa mga rally ay mga pulis, sila po ang haharap sa ating mga raliyista," he added.

Eleazar said for the past three consecutive State of the Nation Addresses, cops did not put up barbed wires to stop rallyists from approaching near the Batasang Pambansa, and they will not do so this year.

The NCRPO chief said they have not monitored any threat against security so far but they will remain alert for any possibility.

"So far, wala po tayong namomonitor na banta sa ating seguridad pero patuloy po tayong nakaalerto. Ang malaking hamon dito sa SONA ay kung saan natin ilalagay ang iba't-ibang grupo na magpoprograma," Eleazar said.

"For the past three SONAs, hangarin din namin ngayong SONA na maging mapayapa at maayos," he added. —KG, GMA News