“People’s Sona” protesters begin marching along Commonwealth Ave. to Tandang Sora on Monday, July 24, 2023. (INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — The second State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was generally peaceful and orderly” with no untoward incidents, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said in a statement on Monday.
PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said that despite a number of protest rallies by anti-government groups in some parts of Metro Manila and other provinces, no untoward incident happened.
“Everything took place according to our plans. We made sure that the President was secured along with all the participants in the event,” he said.
All public engagements and activities nationwide, especially in the vicinity of the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City and 31 border control points within Metro Manila where protests were staged, were orderly and peaceful.
Acorda said more than 20,000 police personnel were deployed in Metro Manila and other key cities and regions as part of the PNP’s elaborate security preparation for the President’s Sona.
Speaking to reporters in Camp Crame, Acorda thanked the men and women of the PNP, to include volunteers, for a job well done.
“This mission is a testament to our personnel’s professionalism and their dedication. They exceeded all our expectations, needless to say,” he added.
“An appropriate number of police personnel were on duty to provide security and police assistance in all areas of engagement and strictly observed the maximum tolerance policy despite some uncalled-for actions by rallyists like burning of effigies and illegal assemblies that obstructed traffic,” Acorda said.
“No arrests were made in all these engagements but violators of the law will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
Likewise, the PNP chief commended Task Force Commander Police Brig. Gen. Jose Melecio Nartatez Jr., head of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), for his exemplary leadership before and during the event.
Acorda said the successful handling of the President’s Sona was a product of the PNP’s collaborative efforts along with other key security agencies of the government and other Local Government Units (LGUs).
“We made sure to exercise maximum tolerance towards the rallyists without putting the overall security protocols for the Sona in jeopardy,” he explained.
“The PNP is duty-bound to protect our people at all times. We will continue to do so while at the same time being mindful of the constitutionally guaranteed right of those who want to ventilate their grievances in a peaceful way,” Acorda said.
“I extend my greetings and thanks to all our police throughout the country, including various government agencies such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Joint Task force-National Capital Region, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, OCD or Red Cross, Department of Health, Philippine Coast Guard, Presidential Security Group, Metro Manila Development Authority, Department of Public Works And Highways, different Local Governments, Force Multipliers as well as other private sectors,” Acorda said in Filipino.