THE Presidential Security Group (PSG) has not monitored any threats that might derail the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Marcos on June 25 at the Batasang Pambansa, the security group’s commander, Col. Ramon Zagala, said yesterday.
Zagala said the PSG is now in the final stages of security preparations for the SONA, adding they are committed to securing and ensuring the safety of the President and his family and invited guests.
He declined to say how many of their troops are being deployed for the event but said the PSG has been closely coordinating with other security agencies such as the PNP and the Bureau of Fire Protection to ensure the President will be safe and that no untoward incident will happen during the SONA.
Asked about any possible threats, Zagala said: “What’s important is we receive information and all this information we receive we consider important and that we verify and for now, everything is okay.”
He added there are no threats monitored and “if there are any new information, then we will act on it.”
PNP Director for Operations Maj. Gen. Valeriano de Leon reiterated that policemen will disperse protest actions held outside freedom parks during the SONA.
De Leon said rallies should be held in three designated freedom parks, namely, the Quezon City Memorial Circle, the Commission of Human Rights compound, and the University of the Philippines-Diliman campus.
“We appeal to the organizers of the protest actions to limit their activities in these freedom parks to prevent disturbance of the smooth traffic flow in the area and to avoid unnecessary confrontation with the police,” De Leon said.
On the instructions of PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr., De Leon said policemen will exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with the protesters.
However, De Leon said Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) units will disperse the protesters if they hold protest actions outside the freedom parks.
“If they go out of the freedom parks, then the corresponding police response will be done by our CDM units on the ground. If they go out of the freedom parks and it will disturb traffic and peace and order, then we will disperse them at all costs,” he said.
The leftist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) has applied for a permit from the Quezon City government to hold protest actions along Batasan Road, near the Batasang Pambansa complex where the President will deliver his address. The request has yet to be granted.
De Leon said the IBP Road or Batasan Road will be closed during the President’s SONA.
He said security and traffic adjustments will be made, depending on the situation on the ground.
The PNP has said 22,000 police, soldiers and force multipliers will secure the SONA. The number includes those who will be manning checkpoints in Metro Manila entry points, traffic enforcers, and members of CDM units.
Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. has rejected an earlier PNP request for them not to proceed with their planned protests, saying people need to know the “true” state of the nation. — With Victor Reyes
