PNP to Apec rallyists: Respect the delegates

PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez. SCREENGRAB FROM PNP PIO VIDEO.

The Philippine National Police’s (PNP) top cop has an appeal to protesters during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit: Respect our visitors and show them the best side of Filipinos.

With 21 world leaders arriving in the Philippines in November, PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez asked the protesters to respect the international delegates who will convene in Manila for the Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting from November 16 to November 20.
In a press briefing on Monday, he asked the rallyists to behave at the Apec protests the same way they did during the visit of Pope Francis last January.

“Those Apec leaders are our visitors. I’d like to appeal once again just like what we did during the arrival of the Pope last January that we are all supposed to be hosts here. And make sure we show our best side when the 21 heads of economies come here,” he said.

Like in any other rallies, the PNP chief said anti-riot policemen will be exercising maximum tolerance in dealing with protesters.

“Our protocol for mass protests will be the same. Maximum tolerance and at the same time we will ask them to respect the rights of others,” he said.

There will be similarities in the security plan for the Apec with the five-day papal visit which drew millions of Filipinos to the roads of Manila and Leyte province.

“Unlike the Pope when he was the only VIP, we are expecting [21] visitors. When we move heads of state, normally we close the road that we will use. We are making sure that all areas, maritime, air and road security, billeting, and venue are properly secured,” he said.

Asked if the PNP plans to jam cellphone signals in areas near the APEC venue, Marquez said they are still studying restrictions on communication.

“We’d like to make sure that it costs least convenience to our citizens, at the same time making sure our visitors, our VIPs, 7,000 of them are also well-secured,” he said.

Before he assumed office as PNP chief last July, Marquez, as Directorate for Operations head, led the “Papal Visit 2015” special task force and earned praises for the successful security coverage for the pontiff’s visit.