Police to set up barriers against SONA protesters

MANILA, Philippines - Police will set up three lines of barriers along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City as precaution against protesters in the areas leading to the House of Representatives where President Aquino will deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 23.

Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Mario de la Vega yesterday bared the security plans as he led police officials in the “walk-through” along Commonwealth Avenue in preparation for the SONA.

“We’re doing this for the better appreciation and cooperation of units and participants so that their functions and roles would be clear,” De la Vega said.

Representatives from the police, the Presidential Security Group (PSG), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) boarded a bus as they went along the stretch of Commonwealth and other roads leading to the House of Representatives.

During the walk-through, it was discussed that a portion of the Fairview-bound lane of Commonwealth Avenue, particularly the area allotted for protest rallies, would be closed to traffic.

The other side of the road would be used for counter-flow of traffic, he said.

De la Vega said the first line of defense would be composed of policemen. They will be deployed in the area fronting Ever Gotesco mall in front of a line of concrete barriers and steel railings.

Another line of defense would be a row of container vans to be erected in the area fronting St. Peter Parish.

De la Vega said earlier that a total of 6,422 policemen would be deployed along the roads leading to the Batasan Pambansa complex and the perimeter of the House of Representatives.

The police deployment will also focus on police visibility and anti-crime efforts of the QCPD. 

Superintendent Richard Fiesta, head of QCPD’s District Operations and Plans Division, said 818 policemen from a civil disturbance management contingent would secure the roads leading to the Batasan with 150 more policemen on reserve.

He said there would be additional 70 policemen to direct traffic.

Aside from the 2,777 from the QCPD, other policemen from other units totaling 3,645 would be deployed that day.

This developed as the militant umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) yesterday filed its application for a rally permit for the SONA.

Their application said Bayan and its allied groups are seeking a permit to hold the rally at the Batasan (IBP) Road, going to Batasan complex.

Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said they would hold their annual SONA rally from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. He said the rally would be an occasion for the people to air their grievances to the government.

“We believe that the people have the right to present their grievances as close as possible to the institution that they are addressing their demands. Moreover, Batasan road is a wide enough highway to accommodate the protesters. This will also decongest the main road that is Commonwealth Avenue, which is the usual site of the SONA rally. The time that was set forth in this action includes the time to set up the equipment, stage and sound system which are essential to the mass action,” Bayan said in its letter to Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Reyes said the application for a new rally permit comes a year after a case was filed before the Quezon City regional trial court after the city government denied, then afterwards modified Bayan’s application without hearing and without stating the reasons for the denial and modification.

The case was elevated to the Supreme Court for decision. – With Rhodina Villanueva