Hours before President Benigno Aquino III delivers his last State of the Nation, protesters have started arriving at Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City to air their gripes against the administration.
To prevent a confrontation, authorities have not only set up barricades to contain them but also sat with leaders of these cause-oriented groups.
In an interview with GMA News' Unang Balita on Monday morning, Chief Superintendent Joel Pagdilao, Quezon City police director, said the meeting was held last July 22 at the Quezon City Sports Complex, where they invited leaders and organizers of the groups for a meeting.
"Napag-usapan na magkaroon kami ng policing of the ranks -- sa pulis at sa hanay nila -- para maiwasan 'yung taong-taon na pambabato sa mga pulis ng mga nagpo-protesta, na sana ma-police 'yung ranks ng mga kasama natin ng mga leaders ng cause-oriented groups," he said.
[Video report]
He also assured that the police will exercise maximum tolerance for Monday's event.
Some 4,000 police officers have been deployed for the event.
Double lanes of concrete barriers with barbed wires have been placed around Batasan Complex for Aquino's last SONA. According to Pagdilao, this is to ensure that the groups that will hold their protest there on Monday afternoon will stay at their designated area, for crowd control and traffic management.
"Napakalaki nu'ng lugar na ibinigay natin para sa mga magsasagawa ng protesta kaya hindi na sila kailangang tumawid sa kalsada, para hindi maabala ang mga motorista," he said.
As of Monday morning, several groups have gathered in various points in Metro Manila, including Mendiola in Manila, Ever Gotesco in Commonwealth Avenue.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/528946/news/metromanila/authorities-to-cause-oriented-groups-police-own-ranks
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