NCRPO: Over 2,500 cops to be deployed for Black Friday protests vs flood control

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Monday said a total of 2,550 cops have been assigned to secure the conduct of possible Black Friday protests in light of the issues in flood control projects.

“Sumatotal po, meron tayong 2,500 na dineploy na personnel para po sa Friday,” NCRPO public information office chief Police Major Hazel Asilo said in a press briefing. 

(In sum, we have 2,500 personnel deployed for Friday.)

Of the total number of designated police personnel, Asilo said 1,250 have already been deployed in the possible venues of the rallies. 

These areas include Mendiola Peace Arch near Malacañang and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Central Office in Manila; the Senate building in Pasay City; as well as the Batasang Pambansa Complex near the House of Representatives in Quezon City.

Meanwhile, Asilo said another 1,250 cops are on standby in concerned police districts.

The NCRPO official said the police are expecting protest actions in the area of Manila and EDSA so far.

However, she refused to divulge the specific locations of the possible activities.

Last week, protests were also held in different areas against the anomalous flood control projects.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has called for an investigation into anomalous flood control projects as many parts of the country have been submerged amid heavy rains in the past months.

The Senate blue ribbon committee and the House of Representatives' Infrastructure Committee, as well as the Office of the Ombudsman, have launched their respective investigations.

Some flood control projects were found to be ghost projects. —KG, GMA Integrated News