By Aaron Recuenco
Police intelligence operatives were deployed to secure the protest actions of various groups for the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Duterte this afternoon.
PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde and NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar inspect the deployment of the police's Civil Disturbance Management contingents hours before President Duterte's SONA in Quezon City (AARON RECUENCO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Gen. Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said that the police intelligence operatives were tasked to secure the protesters from infiltrators who may disrupt or sabotage the peaceful conduct of protest actions.
"This is not for surveillance on them. This is for their own safety. Remember, even these militant protesters do not personally know all those joining them," said Albayalde in a press briefing during his inspection of policemen deployed along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.
Albayalde said that he understood the risks of deployment of police intelligence operatives as there were cases in the past that they were mauled by the protesters.
"So they should really understand why police intelligence operatives are deployed. This is for their own safety, for the safety of the community," he said.
Police have intensified security measures following the case of a suicide bombing in Sulu.
"Our goal here is simple, a peaceful conduct of the protest actions so I hope that they (protesters) would cooperate and help us," said Albayalde.