Quezon City gov’t says cops singing videoke during SONA rally not with QCPD

The Quezon City government on Monday said it has notified the Philippine National Police (PNP) about police personnel who were allegedly doing videoke during an anti-Marcos protest.

A tweet from Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte’s Twitter account said the concern—a video posted by a netizen apparently showing police officers in an official vehicle performing a pop song, complete with audio equipment, microphones, and instruments, as protesters walked past—had reached the mayor’s office.

It said that the cops are not from the city's police force, the QCPD, but from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

“Ang inyong concern ay aming ipinahatid na sa PNP upang maaksyunan, at para masigurado na magiging malaya at mapayapa ang pagpapahayag ng mga raliyista sa kanilang mga hinaing,” it said.

(We relayed our concern to the PNP so that they would take action and ensure that the rallyists would be free and peaceful in expressing their appeals.)

Nakarating sa tanggapan ni Mayor Joy Belmonte ang inyong concern ukol sa mga pulis na nag-vi-videoke habang naglulunsad ng programa ang mga magsasaka at kabataan mula sa Southern Tagalog. (1/3)

— Mayor Joy Belmonte (@QCMayorJoy) July 24, 2023

GMA News Online has sought comment from the NCRPO and the PNP on the matter but they have yet to give a statement as of posting time.

On the day of the President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address, progressive group Bayan Southern Tagalog held a protest at Philcoa  in Quezon City.

The Quezon City government earlier said it has allowed both pro- and anti-administration rallies but reminds all groups to follow laws and regulations, and not to disrupt peace and order in the affected areas.

“QC is a bastion of free speech, and we value the right of everyone to peacefully assemble as protected by our Constitution,” Mayor Belmonte said.

The local government designated an area along Commonwealth Avenue near the Commission on Audit for pro-administration groups while the protesters are set to assemble along Commonwealth Avenue near Tandang Sora overpass. — BM, GMA Integrated News