Metro police force placed on full alert

The 18,000-strong National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is on full alert for Monday’s Million People March at Manila’s Rizal Park, with thousands of policemen deployed to provide security across the metropolis.

Netizens angry at the misuse of state funds called the march to force the abolition of all lump-sum appropriations in the budget, not just the itemization of the pork barrel in the budget.

Reminiscent of the Million Man March of African-American civil rights activists in Washington, D.C., in 1995, Monday’s march on Rizal Park is expected to draw people from all walks of life and of all political persuasions.

Senior Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, spokesman for the Philippine National Police, said the 2,500-strong Manila Police District had been placed under full alert, the equivalent of red alert in the military, since Saturday.

“The police will be there not to stop the march, but to ensure the peaceful conduct of the activity … and to (let the people exercise) their freedom of expression,” Sindac told the Inquirer.

Besides keeping peace and order, the policemen were tasked with ensuring the orderly flow of traffic around the vicinity of the park, he said.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said portions of Roxas Boulevard like Kalaw, Katigbak, and P. Burgos streets will be closed to traffic to give way to the rally.

Originally posted: 11:45 pm | Sunday, August 25th, 2013