NCRPO eyes better security ops in SONA 2024

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Tuesday it may deploy more police personnel and implement better measures to ensure security during the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in July.

NCRPO chief Police Major General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said that weeks before the SONA, which is scheduled on July 22 this year, the police force will already prepare security operations at Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City, including nearby areas and regions, to get rid of unscrupulous criminal elements that may hamper the peaceful conduct of the event.

“If last year it was 22,000 (police deployed), kung pwedeng dagdagan pa, dadagdagan natin. Depende sa situation or essential elements of information that is continuously coming in,” Nartatez said.

(If we deployed 22,000 police officers last year, we can increase this number this year if needed. This depends on the situation or essential elements of information that is continuously coming in.)

“By 2 p.m., klaro na ang kalsada. We don't even have to use the zipper lane para makapunta at makalabas ng Batasang Pambansa, ay gagawin natin yun,” he added.

(By 2 p.m., the roads should be clear already. We don't even have to use the zipper lane to get to and from the Batasang Pambansa, we will do that.)

The NCRPO chief also reminded protesters not to burn any effigies so as to not face any charges.

“If last year, merong nagsunog ng mga protest materials, I suppose ngayon, baka they have learned their lessons well, hindi na sila magsususnog kasi mapa-file-an sila ng kaso. Just like the several protest rallies in Metro Manila, hindi na nagsusunog,” he said.

(If last year, protesters burned their protest materials, I suppose now, they have learned their lessons well and will not burn anything anymore because a case will be filed against them. In several protest rallies in Metro Manila, no more materials are being burned.)

Following the second SONA of Marcos last year, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) filed a complaint against Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary General Renato Reyes and others over the burning of the President’s effigy in a protest.

In return, Reyes called the complaint a “harassment suit,” saying he wasn’t even present at the rally. He also stressed that there is nothing wrong with the burning of an effigy, saying it is part of protected free speech. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News