PNP Chief Plt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. – Photo courtesy of the Office of the Chief PNP/Facebook.
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Nartatez Jr. urged groups joining demonstrations during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address to guard against individuals who might provoke violence.
Nartatez said rally organizers were responsible for keeping their assemblies peaceful and protecting participants throughout the demonstrations.
He called on organizers to monitor their ranks and prevent outsiders from exploiting the protests to trigger disorder.
Marcos is scheduled to deliver his annual address before a joint session of Congress on Monday, July 27.
The PNP earlier said more than 21,000 law enforcers would be deployed as part of security preparations for the event.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Sanlakas and Better Brighter were granted permits to hold demonstrations along Commonwealth Avenue, according to police.
The Iglesia ni Cristo was also expected to hold an activity in the area for its 112th founding anniversary on the same day.
Nartatez said police assigned to Sona security would observe maximum tolerance, follow crowd-control procedures and respect human rights, while protesters were expected to comply with permit conditions and cooperate with authorities.