PNP starts security preparations for Marcos' first SONA

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has started security preparations for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa later this month.

In a statement, PNP director for operations Police Major General Valeriano de Leon said they are now reviewing all the security plans from the past SONAs to adopt its best practices and make adjustments.

"We want to prepare as early as possible so that we can have the best security measures for the SONA,” he said.

"We want to come up with a good template, a good security plan that we will present to our PNP officer-in-charge Police Lieutenant General Vicente Danao Jr. for review and approval."

Protesters

According to Valeriano, he will personally supervise the security preparations for Marcos’ first SONA that includes managing possible protesters.

De Leon said the PNP is recommending the use of freedom parks for the conduct of peaceful and orderly rallies.

"We respect the role of the protesters in what they would do, but your PNP will not allow them to disrupt any activities that include causing trouble and creating traffic on any busy roads in Metro Manila," De Leon said.

"We will have freedom parks for them and just like what happened during the inauguration, we will not disturb their program and we will not even ask for any permit for their activity provided that they do not go out of the designated freedom parks," he added.

De Leon asked protesters and concerned persons to avoid unnecessary confrontation against the police and disruption of activities during the protests. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News