MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it is pleased with the peaceful and orderly outcome of President Rodrigo Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA), especially with the successful implementation of its security plan.
“We are pleased with the outcome of our preparations for the SONA as it so far turned out to be peaceful and orderly. The thorough planning and its efficient execution were key (to its peaceful conclusion),” AFP spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo said Monday.
AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. commended the soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR) for the job well-done, along with the force-in-reserve at General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, who were on stand-by for possible deployment.
JTF-NCR deployed three infantry companies, two infantry platoons, seven civil disturbance management companies, three search-and-rescue response teams, one air defense asset team and two chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear explosives teams.
Earlier, Arevalo urged SONA protesters, while observing their rights to freedom of expression and assembly, to do their mass actions peacefully and orderly.
“But if they have to pursue those rights, they should do so peaceably and with due regard to the opinion, safety, and well-being of others,” he added. (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
