MANILA, July 23 — The entire Quezon City Police District (QCPD) will be on full alert Monday as President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his second State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) at the House of Representatives (HOR).
In the same vein, all security preparations, including the deployment of 6,000 police officers and soldiers, are now underway, QCPD head Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said Sunday.
These forces are tasked to secure Batasang Hills where HOR is located. An estimated 20,000 people are expected to flock come SONA time.
Eleazar said these figures are 2,000 lower than 8,000 last year as they expect protest actions to be more orderly.
The QCPD head added that they have given permission for rallyists to conduct their activities near the Batasang Complex, stressing that no container vans and barbed wires were deployed in the above-mentioned area.
Also, police officers deployed for SONA duties will not be carrying shields and batons and any kind of weapons.
The equipment will be placed in police trucks and vehicles and will be used only for emergencies. (Priam F. Nepomuceno/PNA)
