Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested four people on board a jeepney hours before President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2020.
They were arrested for allegedly violating rules against the use of traditional jeepneys amid general community quarantine, Metro Manila Police Chief Debold Sinas said.
The jeep was holding a flag of progressive transport group PISTON, whose members were also arrested last June.
The four were arrested near Quezon Memorial Circle. Police immediately brought them to Camp Caringal, where they would be charged, Sinas said.
The Quezon City government did not give permits for any public gathering, in line with the national government’s ban on mass assembly.
Protesters are only allowed to hold their rally inside the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City. Various groups assembled inside the UP Campus for the protest dubbed as “SONAgKAISA” from 10 am to 12 pm.
PNP said government security forces would exercise maximum tolerance, but it appealed to other protesters nationwide to avoid mass gathering as COVID-19 is still out there. Police said it would arrest rallyists if their programs become too “extreme.”
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President Duterte will deliver his fifth SONA before the nation at 4 pm at the Batasang Pambansa.
Metro Manila police chief Sinas said PNP deployed officers in civilian clothes to monitor the situation in Commonwealth Avenue closely.
“Kapag may makita, pagsasabihan, at huhulihin kaagad. Wala nang usap-usap pa diyan sa kalsada. Kapag may grupo, sisitahin bakit grupo-grupo. Kapag may ilalabas na placard, automatic huli sila,” he said.
(If they see a violator, they would be immediately arrested. There will be no discussions. If there’s a group, they would be asked why they are in groups. If they pulled out a placard, they would be arrested automatically.)
PNP deployed over 6,000 police personnel deployed along Batasang Pambansa and Commonwealth Avenue to secure the venue. The security forces ensure that President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address would run safely and smoothly.
The State of the Nation Address (SONA) is a constitutional obligation and yearly tradition, wherein the chief executive reports on the status of the country, unveils the government’s plan for the coming year, and proposes to Congress specific legislative measures.