Eleazar to meet with protest leaders for SONA security
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sun, 07 Jul 2019 07:01:03 +0000
NATIONAL Capital Region Police Office director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar
Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), will be meeting with leaders of militant groups and other organizations that are planning to hold protest actions during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Duterte on July 22.
Eleazar said the move is aimed at ensuring a peaceful conduct of protest action as well as maintenance of peace and order when Duterte is expected to enumerate his achievements and lay down his plans for the country in a speech before the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City.
“We want to hear their plan and at the same time relay to them our plans in securing them during the SONA. This is for everybody’s concern,” said Eleazar.
Part of the discussion that he would initiate, according to Eleazaer, is implementation of measures in order to prevent clashes between the protesters and the policemen who would be tasked to secure the vicinity of the Batasang Pambansa.
More than 9,000 policemen are expected to be tapped to secure the SONA, including expected reinforcements from nearby provinces.
“As usual, our police will exercise maximum tolerance but at the same time we ask the militant groups to do their share and police their ranks to ensure a peaceful and orderly SONA day,” said Eleazar.
As a gesture of goodwill and sincerity, Eleazar said that policemen would not be armed with shields and truncheons.
Instead, barricades would be set up in order to come up with the clear lines as to where the protesters are only allowed to hold rally and programs.
Eleazar said he will personally supervise the implementation of the security measures for SONA. (Aaron Recuenco)