Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Friday, July 22, instructed the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) to review the counter-points that were presented by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) in relation to their application to stage a rally on Batasan Road on Monday, July 25, when President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. delivers his first State of the Nation Address (SONA)..
The DPOS had earlier denied Bayan’s request to stage a protest rally along Batasan Road, Quezon City on Monday.
“I have been made aware that certain sectors have requested me to intervene regarding the denial of Bayan's rally permit. I am currently out of the country at the moment, as I have been selected to represent Quezon City for the International Visitor Leadership Program's Summit for Democracy Initiative,” Mayor Belmonte said in a statement.
“Nevertheless, I have instructed the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) to carefully review the counter-points that were presented, and to determine if there are any possible accommodations or middle ground that they can agree upon,” she added.
The city mayor also said that they will also review other rally permits.
“The same will also be applied to all rally permits that are currently with the DPOS. Rest assured all these shall be discussed during our final SONA coordination meeting, which will happen today,” she said.
According to the DPOS, it denied the application citing that Batasan Road is not a “Freedom Park” and that the protest rally will affect the normal flow of traffic in the area.
Meanwhile, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) called on Mayor Belmonte to intervene in her capacity as mayor to reconsider granting the permit to rally.
Read more: QC gov’t denies group’s request to stage rally in Batasan road, Bayan vows to assert right to rally on SONA, to sue cops who will stop protesters