PNP announces full alert in Metro Manila for SONA

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The Philippine National Police (PNP) announced full alert status in Metro Manila and close by regions to be prepared for the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno S. C. Aquino III. It also raised the alert status in Central Luzon and Calabarzon Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal.

The PNP said in a statement, “Various threat groups, militant, and cause-oriented groups might take advantage of the situation to conduct simultaneous rallies and demonstrations to air their grievances and demands.”  

The PNP said about 6,000 policemen from the region have been organized to provide the security. It said, “These personnel will be deployed for civil disturbance management (CDM) and crowd control operations, traffic direction and control, and general law enforcement operations.”

The military would also be providing the backup security as required. AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo B. Burgos, Jr. said in a phone interview, “The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) alerted seven CDM units for possible deployment if needed. About 500 military personnel will be on standby from the major service commands and from general headquarters.” He added, “The seven CDM units… will observe maximum tolerance.”

Burgos also said that on Thursday 200 non-commissioned officers listened to a lecture and seminar by the AFP human rights office on the defense and promotion of human rights, upholding the rule of law, and rules of commitment.

Information officer of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Jim M. Fernando said that the party-list group will march to Batasan from a vigil in front of the Department of Agriculture office.