By Ronron
March 13, 2008
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) raised its alert level to heightened level effective 6pm Thursday in preparation for the anti-government rally in Manila City today (Friday).
NCRPO chief Director Geary Barias said in an interview yesterday at Camp Crame that some 3,000 policemen will be tasked to secure the mass action, which starts at 3pm at the Liwasang Bonifacio.
But he clarified that only 25 cops will be physically present at the rally venue, while the rest will be deployed at the Mejan Garden, in Mendiola, and the vicinity of Malacanang Palace.
“Hopefully, because of the coordination made, tomorrow’s (Friday) rally will be peaceful,” Barias said.
A meeting was held on Thursday morning at the Manila City hall between the rally organizers, led by Atty. Adel Tamano and Renato Reyes of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), and Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim and Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Supt. Roberto Rosales.
The National Capital Region Command (NCRCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), for its part, is still on heightened alert status, which it maintained after the February 29 inter-faith rally in Makati City.
NCRCOM chief Maj. Gen. Fernando Mesa said in a phone interview that they might raise their alert level to full status if their assessment of the situation would call for it.
He said definitely, there will be civil disturbance management elements of the NCRCOM that will be placed on standby inside Camp Aguinaldo for their possible deployment if the NCRPO would request for it.
AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said authorities have not received threats so far targeting the participants of the rally.
“Regarding threats, we have not monitored any. But we are ready just in case there will be groups that will take advantage of the situation. We are ready. We have the security emplacement as before,” Bacarro said in an interview at Camp Aguinaldo./DMS
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