BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) is fully prepared for the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos on Monday, July 22.
Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Solis, the spokesperson for PRO-6, said the security plan has been finalized and overall security coverage is ready.
“There will be deployments of mobile patrols, foot patrols, and checkpoints in strategic areas, along with intelligence monitoring throughout Western Visayas,” he said.
Solis said that burning of effigies is strictly prohibited, and PRO-6 will ensure adherence to the guidelines from higher authorities.
“Various units of PRO-6 have been briefed for specific situations and are directed on the actions to take in case of undesirable activities such as effigy burning,” Solis said.
The PRO-6 spokesperson added that they will monitor protesters, saying that those without permits will be brought to the office of the local chief executives.
As of this writing, the PRO-6 was coordinating with local chief executives regarding applications for permits for rallies.
“If a rally has a permit, it must specify the venue, time, travel route, and activities,” Solis emphasized.
He further explained, “We in the PNP (Philippine National Police) do not discriminate, but our main concern is to ensure everyone’s safety, whether they are protesters or ordinary citizens. We make sure that rallies do not obstruct roads or inconvenience the public.”
The PRO-6, with its over 13,000 police officers, will be under full alert status for the upcoming SONA./PN
