Ensure mass actions are safe and peaceful, SONA protesters told

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Guillermo Eleazar on Sunday called on State of the Nation Address (Sona) protesters to stage their mass actions peacefully and with observance of minimum health protocols.

Progressive groups and other organizations are expected to stage a street demonstration on Monday concurrent with President Rodrigo Duterte’s last Sona.

“Sa darating na Lunes, walang pipigil sa inyo sa magsagawa ng mga rally subalit inaasahan namin na ito ay gagawin sa paraan na hindi naman aapak sa aming mandato na panatilihin ang kapayapaan, kaayusan at kaligtasan ng bawat isa lalo na at may kumpirmasyon na ng local transmission ng Delta variant ng COVID-19,” Eleazar said in a statement.

(No one is preventing you from staging rallies on Monday but we are expecting that you do it in ways that will not step on our mandate to keep the peace and order, as well as safety, now that there is confirmed local transmission of the Delta variant.)

Eleazar also said he instructed police personnel to keep observing maximum tolerance, adding that he also expects there would be a voluntary and orderly dispersal of protesters.

Despite the preparations, the police chief is still urging the groups to consider holding their activities online in light of the Delta variant.

“Hindi naman importante kung paano ginawa ang inyong aktibidad. Ang mahalaga ay naiparating ninyo ang mensaheng gusto ninyong mabatid ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.

(It’s not important how you conduct the activity, as long as you put the message across.)

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