Philippine National Police Chief General Rommel Marbil (left) and National Capital Region Police Office chief Major General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. monitor the traffic situation at the Sona multiagency command center in Camp Karingal, the headquarters of the Quezon City Police District, on Monday, July 22, 2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to deliver his third State of the Nation Address or Sona at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday afternoon. INQUIRER.net/John Eric Mendoza
MANILA, Philippines — Hours ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday, July 22, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Major General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. cleared Metro Manila of any security threat.
“As of now, we have not monitored any threat that will affect our activity,” Nartatez told reporters in an ambush interview at Camp Karingal, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) headquarters.
Nartatez and Philippine National Police chief General Rommel Marbil monitored the situation on the ground at the multiagency command center for Sona in Camp Karingal.
READ: Live Updates: SONA 2024
The NCRPO has been on full alert since Sunday for the Sona, with the PNP even imposing a gun ban in Metro Manila until Monday midnight.
Nartatez also said the total number of police and government security personnel deployed to secure this year’s Sona remains at 23,000.
The Philippine President is mandated to deliver the Sona every last Monday of July to report the government’s achievements under his or her administration, unveil its agenda, and ask Congress to pass priority measures.