MANILA – The deployment of non-uniformed intelligence monitoring teams in rally sites for the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte is not aimed at conducting surveillance among protesters, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday.
"This is not for surveillance on them. This is for their own safety. Remember, even these militant protesters do not personally know all those joining them. They should really understand why police intelligence operatives are deployed. This is for their own safety, for the safety of the community," PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde told reporters in a press briefing during his inspection of policemen deployed along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City hours before the President Duterte’s fourth SONA.
The police have intensified security measures following the suicide bombing in Sulu last June 28.
The country’s top cop said that police intelligence operatives were tasked to secure the protesters from infiltrators who may disrupt or sabotage the peaceful conduct of protest actions.
"Our goal here is simple, peaceful conduct of the protest actions so I hope that they (protesters) would cooperate and help us," said Albayalde.
Albayalde said that he placed the entire PNP on full alert status since Saturday to ensure the availability of security forces to perform law enforcement and public safety duties, as the President of the Republic of the Philippines delivers his State of the Nation Address at the opening of the 18th Congress.
“To ensure that everyone will enjoy the right to freely and peacefully appreciate the significance of this occasion, the entire PNP is on full alert to address any situation that will require police action,” Albayalde said.
“I am confident that with all our preparations, including the series of dialogues and coordination with leaders and organizers of participating groups in the projected mass actions today, the 2019 SONA will be peaceful, orderly, and uneventful,” Albayalde added.
Guided by President Duterte’s specific instructions to allow free expression and public assembly, and prevent violent confrontation between security forces and rallyists, the instruction to CDM units is to observe maximum tolerance at all times, even when provoked.
Albayalde said they have not monitored any serious threat of attacks.
"Sa ngayon, wala pa rin naman (and) as of this time wala pa tayong nakukuhang (For now, there is none and as of this time, we have not monitored any) threat. But then again, we appeal to the public to remain vigilant," Albayalde told reporters.
Albayalde said the annual SONA is an important national event that every Filipino must look forward to with enthusiasm and optimism to witness the President of the Republic of the Philippines deliver his annual review of achievements, statement of the present situation and announcement of future prospects before the joint houses of Congress.
The SONA, which is delivered by the President of the Philippines every year, is a constitutional obligation, required by Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution.
It is a venue that allows the President to report on the state of the country, as well as the government’s agenda for the coming year, and to propose certain legislative measures to be acted upon by Congress. (PNA)
