Monday, July 18, 2016

No security threats on Duterte's first SONA

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 18): No security threats on Duterte's first SONA

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is still to detect any security threats for President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's first-ever State-Of-the-Nation Address (SONA) this coming July 25.

This was disclosed by Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR) acting commander Col. Vic Tomas Monday.

"Fortunately there is no monitored (security threats) yet and we are praying that this status will continue but we will continue to be very vigilant (and we will) harden areas that are considered soft. Last Saturday and last week, we had an early coordination (meeting) with security stakeholders (on possible security preparations) and we in JTF-NCR, we also had meetings on Friday and Saturday (to our preparations)," he added.

Tomas declined to give the exact number of troops to be deployed for the occasion but they have already coordinating with the House of Representatives and Presidential Security Group on the matter.

"The guidance is to tone down (security), that is the guidance of President Duterte, he wants it to be normal and simple as possible," he added.

Tomas defined tone down as not to tight and yet still relevant to secure the President and other VIPs.

"Tone down (means) it should not inconvenience the public, the commuters, etc, less inconvenience as the President seen in the past (SONA) too many road blocks and rerouting," he stressed.

The acting JTF-NCR chief said final security deployment will be out on July 30 and stated that troops will be deployed in areas they will not affect traffic.

Tomas also took this opportunity to ask leftist groups, participating the traditional protest rallies, not be violent and unruly and stay in their designated areas.

"They need to express(their sentiments), that is their right but of course it has to be again within the bounds of law, they (should) control their crowd and prevent the latter from going violent like in the past years," he disclosed.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=905008

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