Anti-riot forces of the Philippine National Police. YUJI GONZALES / INQUIRER.net file photo
As the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) welcomed the invitation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to have a coordination with the agency for the coming State of the Nation Address (Sona), it also urged policemen to implement a maximum tolerance against rallyists.
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa imbitasyon ng PNP at nagpapaalala rin sa ating mga kapulisan na sikaping ipatupad ang maximum tolerance,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said on Saturday in a statement.
(We are thankful for the invitation of the PNP and we are also reminding our policemen to implement maximum tolerance as much as possible.)
De Guia underscored that prior to the invitation of the PNP, the CHR has always been monitoring large protests in the country.
According to her, the aim of the CHR is to monitor these activities and make sure that the sentiments of the people are properly expressed peacefully as part of the public’s freedom of speech.
De Guia also urged participants of the rally to observe the laws of the country when it comes to holding a protests.
“Para naman sa mga grupong kikilos sa Sona ay sana sikaping gawing mapayapa at ayon sa batas ang bawat demostrasyon bilang pagkilala naman sa ating obligasyon sa pagtamasa sa ating mga karapatan,” she said.
(For the groups that will hold street demonstrations during the Sona, try your best to conduct it peacefully and according to the rule of law in order to recognize the obligation to our rights.)
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar earlier said that the PNP wanted to coordinate with the CHR during the Sona of President Rodrigo Duterte on July 23.
“We will invite them [para] mayroon silang (so that they will have a) representative who will join us in our command center… even in our communication van,” Eleazar said during a press briefing. /jpv
READ: CHR invited to coordinate with PNP for upcoming Sona — NCRPO chief