The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has been placed under full alert status starting Friday midnight, ahead of the observance of the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law on Monday, Sept. 21.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) defended the deployment of more than 15,000 police personnel for protests marking the anniversary, saying the additional police presence is intended to ensure public safety and maintain peace and order.
According to NCRPO, a total of 15,746 personnel will be deployed, consisting of 9,746 regional personnel and 6,000 augmentation forces.
PNP spokesperson Pol. Col. Allen Rae Co stressed that the deployment is not an “overkill.” He added the police force's priority is to ensure that the public is not endangered or inconvenienced during the planned protest activities.
The statement was issued by the PNP in Camp Crame following criticism from the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) over the large number of police personnel deployed to secure activities marking the anniversary of Martial Law.
More than 9,000 police personnel were deployed last year, while the number is expected to nearly double to more than 18,000 for Monday’s activities.
Co said the increased deployment is necessary to ensure that the public remains safe and is not inconvenienced.
The PNP spokesperson added that the deployment was based on assessments and consultations with concerned stakeholders and government agencies to determine the need for additional forces and ensure the orderly conduct of possible activities.
Meanwhile, the NCRPO remains under full alert status, while police continue to conduct cyber patrols to monitor online posts and invitations related to the planned protests, particularly following the violent rally that took place last year.
Reports from RH Edniel Parrosa
