Police and military in MM on highest alert for SONA

By Ronron
July 21, 2007

Police and military forces in Metro Manila went on the highest alert on Saturday morning in preparation for the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo tomorrow (Monday).

The National Capital Region Command (NCRCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) raised its alert level to Red effective 7am yesterday, and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) followed an hour later.

The spokesman of both units said there is no imminent threat to national security come Monday but the raising of the alert level is meant at thwarting any untoward eventualities.

“We expect the President’s SONA to be generally peaceful,” NCRPO spokesman Supt. Rodel Sermonia said in a phone interview yesterday, citing the coordinating meetings made by rally organizers and the police last Friday.

“So far, as of now, we still have to receive intelligence report of any threat for the SONA,” he added.

Sermonia said some 5,000 policemen from the different police units in Metro Manila will be dispersed on the streets, mostly near Batasan Complex in Quezon City where mass demonstrations are expected.

But some 3,000 others coming from Police Regional Offices 1 to IV-A and close to 800 civil disturbance management personnel of the NCRCOM will be on stand-by mode for augmentation purposes./DMS