The Quezon City government did not allow the request of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) group to hold a rally near the Batasan Complex on Monday during the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.
The QC government’s letter signed by Department of Public Order and Safety Office (DPOS) head retired Gen Elmo San Diego said that Batasan road is not part of the freedom park, so the group cannot hold a rally here in the Zone of Marcos on July 25.
According to him, it will greatly affect traffic flow if the group wants to gather on Batasan road.
The PNP first declared the stretch of Commonwealth Avenue as a ‘no rally zone,’ while Batasan road, the main road into the Chamber that will host the first Zone of President Marcos, will be closed to the public.
Three areas in QC will serve as freedom parks for rallyists designated by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the day of SONA.
According to PNP director for operations Maj Gen Valeriano de Leon, this includes the Quezon Memorial Circle, inside the Commission on Human Rights compound, and inside the University of the Philippines Diliman campus.
Protesters fail to get rally permits for SONA
De Leon said that they are calling on the organizers to limit the conduct of their protest to the said areas to avoid any trouble and maintain the smooth flow of vehicles.
“If they go out of the freedom parks and it will disturb traffic and peace and order, then we will disperse them at all costs,” said De Leon.
The PNP will also monitor the burning of effigies of rallyists in violation of Batas Pambansa 880.
Nearly 22,000 police personnel and force multipliers will be deployed to secure the July 25 event.
Meanwhile, the Batasang Pambansa Complex has begun to be put under lockdown as part of security for the first SONA of President Marcos Jr.
According to House Secretary General Llandro Mendoza, “all systems go” for such an occasion.
“We’re all systems go na po tayo sa Batasan. Nag-start po tayo simula kagabi ng lockdown, full lockdown po tayo sa House. So more security preparations na lang po ang ginagawa po natin,” he said.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.