NCRPO readies security for Duterte’s SONA

MANILA, Philippines - The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will start this week its security preparations for President Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24, an official said yesterday.

NCRPO chief Director Oscar Albayalde said they would hold an anti-crowd disturbance management (CDM) competition in Manila’s Rizal Park on Saturday.

Albayalde said security measures during the SONA would be stricter because of some issues such as the martial law in Mindanao and the Marawi crisis.

The NCRPO will implement security adjustments for this year’s SONA upon orders from Malacañang, he said.

Last year, protesters were allowed to conduct rallies during Duterte’s first SONA.

Albayalde said officials of the Commission on Human Rights would meet with anti-riot policemen days before the SONA.

He said the NCRPO’s regional police safety battalion and public safety battalions of the five police districts would take part in the CDM competition.

Albayalde said the winners would receive cash gifts and “bragging rights.”

The NCRPO officials would discuss security deployment for the SONA with Quezon City Police District chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar, who is the overall commander of the police forces to be deployed to the Batasan Pambansa complex.