MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) noted a “generally peaceful” State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday.
“[Sona] 2021 was generally peaceful without any untoward incident that significantly affected today’s national event,” said PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar.
Eleazar added that all mass actions and public assemblies staged by several progressive groups coinciding with President Rodrigo Duterte’s final Sona culminated “peacefully with no untoward incident.”
“I am glad that reason prevailed over these groups to peacefully disperse or called off their activities altogether. The best interest of public health and safety, and the rule of law spoke louder than the political undertones of these mass actions in the streets,” Eleazar said.
He then thanked the organizers of the assemblies for heeding the PNP’s call for cooperation in the peaceful and orderly outcome of protest activities.
Eleazar said 1,000 Progressive groups gathered at the University Lane in the University of the Philippines – Diliman around 9:45 a.m., which increased to 3,000 at around 1:30 p.m.
READ: LOOK: Protesters gather at UP Diliman ahead of Duterte’s final Sona
According to Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), 6,000 to 7,000 protesters from different progressive groups attended the protest.
READ: Sona march ends peacefully despite police ‘violation’ of agreement — Bayan
A group of 200 members was also monitored at the CHR Office along Commonwealth Avenue at 11:50 a.m.
No visible attempts by these groups to march further to Batasan were observed until the groups eventually dispersed peacefully at 4:00 p.m.
LOOK: A new wave of protesters marched on Commonwealth Avenue a few hours after the first SONA protest march ended. | @zacariansINQ pic.twitter.com/pCWdLiWHTi
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) July 26, 2021
Eleazar added that the National Capital Region Police Office made no major untoward incidents or arrests during the day.
Smaller activities were also recorded across the country, but none caused major disturbance to public activities, Eleazar said.
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