By AARON B. RECUENCO
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has started the preparations for the second State of the Nation Address of President Duterte amid bomb threats and the Marawi City attack.
Part of the preparations is the intensified intelligence-gathering and so far, the NCRPO intelligence-community has not monitored serious threat to Duterte’s SONA scheduled on July 24.
But Director Oscar Albayalde, NCRPO chief, said they will continuously implement the intensified security protocol in order not to give any chance to those planning any attack or sabotage in time for the SoNA.
Thousands of anti-riot policemen are expected to be deployed near the Batasang Pambansa where the SoNA will be held, as well as the usual converging points of protesters like Mendiola in Manila, Welcome Rotonda and the Quezon Memorial Circle.
Civil Disturbance Management units from all the five police districts of Metro Manila are expected to be deployed to deal with the protesters.
On Saturday, CDM units of the five police districts showed its skills and capability in dealing with protest actions.
“We will exercise maximum tolerance,” said Albayalde, as he emphasized that it is not the policemen who would initiate the clashes.
The NCRPO chief also said they are planning to meet with the leaders and organizers of the groups planning to hold protest action during the SoNA. The meeting is yet to be finalized.
Police are trying to prevent the repeat of the bomb attack in Quiapo on April this year during the country’s hosting of the ASEAN Meeting.
While ISIS claimed responsibility on the attack, the NCRPO stressed that the attack was an offshoot of the mauling of a member of a gang perpetrated by the rival gang.