2,500 soldiers on standby for Aquino’s last Sona

Armed Forces Public Affairs chief Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

About 2,500 soldiers will be on standby for the last State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Benigno Aquino III next Monday.

Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday that the soldiers will not be deployed but will only be alerted in their camps.

“They will be deployed only when requested and necessary because we are only in the support role to the Philippine National Police,” he said.

“You will not see soldiers in the streets if they are not deployed,” he added.

The military will only provide support to the Philippine National Police, the lead unit for Sona’s security preparations.

The General Headquarters, Philippine Army, Air Force, Navy and the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division based in Rizal, will have a battalion or about 500 soldiers each.

The units will include K-9, Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams and Medical Corps.

Detoyato also said they have not monitored any security threat in relation to Sona.

“We do not want to assume anything violent but we are just preparing our troops so if they are requested they will be immediately alerted,” he said.

As to whether they will raise their security alert level, Detoyato said it will be determined later.

The PNP said earlier that it is “99.9 percent” ready for Sona. IDL