The Philippine National Police (PNP) calls on protest organizers to protect their groups by refraining from any actions that may disrupt the peaceful demonstrations during the 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

According to PNP Chief PGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., no responsible protest organizer would intentionally plan to make their demonstration violent or compromise the safety of their members. The PNP Chief added that it’s everyone’s duty to ensure that legal assemblies remain peaceful from the beginning to its end.

The appeal follows the approval of permits to hold rallies along Commonwealth Avenue on July 27. The groups who were granted a permit are the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), SANLAKAS, and Better Brighter.

Over 20,000 security personnel will be deployed for the event, while the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is in-charge for the traffic management.

The PNP Chief directed all police personnel to enforce maximum tolerance, follow the established ground management protocols, and respect human rights throughout the operation. He also directed to wear body-worn cameras and other recording equipment during operations to enhance transparency and accountability.

The PNP also warned that they will not hesitate to arrest those who will blatantly violate the law.

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