For Malacañang, it’s a nonissue whether or not former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would attend Monday’s resumption of Congress and listen to President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address.
“It is a constitutional mandate to report to the House and to the Senate the state of the nation, and therefore, the President will do so regardless of the presence of Representative Arroyo or absence,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in Friday’s news briefing.
Lacierda said the President had been preparing for the Sona with total indifference to whether Arroyo is attending.
Not surprising
He said Malacañang would not be surprised if Arroyo would again not attend the proceedings. “She didn’t attend the first time. So there was already a precedent… So we’re not surprised,” he said.
Arroyo, now a Pampanga representative, has announced she would not attend both the opening of the second regular session of the 15th Congress and the Sona on Monday.
Lawyer Raul Lambino had advised Arroyo to stay home because he expected her to be the main target of the President’s Sona.
Lambino previously advised Arroyo to keep silent on the charges of electoral fraud and corruption being hurled against her by the Palace.
While Arroyo will be absent, her allies in the minority bloc will come in full force.
Zambales Representative Milagros Magsaysay said she and the rest of the minority bloc wanted to hear personally the President’s Sona.
Militants rally
Militant groups also want to stage rallies near the Batasang Pambansa during the Sona on Monday but have been barred from the area by the Quezon City government.
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, through its secretary general Renato
Reyes Jr. filed a petition yesterday for the issuance of a 72-hour temporary restraining order to allow them to hold their rally on Batasan Road.
Named as respondents were Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, Department of Public Order and Safety chief Elmo San Diego and Chief Supt. George Regis of the Quezon City Police District.
A week before, Bayan applied for a rally permit from the city government to allow them to hold rallies from 7 a.m. of July 25 to 6 p.m. near the Batasang Pambansa.
Militant groups will only be allowed to hold their rallies at the Quezon Memorial Circle.
But pro-administration demonstrators will be allowed to occupy the space in front of the Commission on Audit (Coa) building.
In preparation for the Sona, concerned police units have been placed on full alert status, said Philippine National Police Director General Raul M. Bacalzo.
The PNP advised motorists to avoid Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Monday when a portion of its northbound stretch shall be closed off to traffic.
Traffic will also be re-routed starting at noon on Monday.
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said four lanes of Commonwealth southbound will be occupied by northbound vehicles from the Shopwise U-turn slot until the San Simon U-turn slot, at which point there shall be normal traffic flow for all types of vehicles.
Alternate route
“Motorists are advised to avoid the area and take alternate routes to thwart inconvenience,” PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr. said in a statement.
Cruz said traffic aides would be deployed and appropriate signs installed to guide the motoring public of the alternate routes.
NCRPO Director Alan Purisima said the southbound stretch of Commonwealth Avenue would be open to traffic the whole day.
“Concrete barriers at the Convergys U-turn slot will be removed on Monday, July 25, at 12:01 a.m. which will serve as an entry point for VIPs going to Sandiganbayan building,” Purisima said. With reports from Julie M. Aurelio and DJ Yap