Police Brig. Gen. Anthony A. Aberin, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), has ordered the mobilization of sufficient number of policemen to secure all the possible rally sites in Metro Manila amid the threat of widespread protest actions of supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte following his arrest on Tuesday, March 11.
Aberin said they are focused on maintaining peace and order in Metro Manila, particularly in addressing all the possible adverse effects of any protest action to the motorists and commuters, most of them are workers and students.
“We have been monitoring since Tuesday and we will continue to do so as part of our effort of ensuring peace and order here in Metro Manila,” said Aberin.
“I have already instructed all police commanders to mobilize a sufficient number of personnel to secure all the possible rally sites in their respective areas and to intensify the monitoring of assembly of a large number of people,” he added.
Currently, policemen are already securing the EDSA Shrine where former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque urged pro-Duterte forces to converge and hold protest action for what he described as illegal arrest.
Aside from EDSA Shrine, the NCRPO has been monitoring the usual rally sites like Mendiola and Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila, Welcome Rotonda at the boundary of Quezon City and Manila, and the People Power Monument in Quezon City.
Aberin’s monitoring and intelligence-gathering order covers both the supporters of the former president and anti-Duterte groups.
He said police commanders were also instructed to hold dialogues with would-be rally organizers in order to prevent possible clashes between the two forces—if, and only if, there would be protest actions that would be held.
While the police respect the right of every group to hold rallies, Aberin said they must also protect the rights of the most number of people in Metro Manila who just want to go on with their daily lives.
On Tuesday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) placed all police forces under heightened alert status in anticipation of civil disturbance and mass protest actions following the arrest of Duterte at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, and eventually his transport to the Hague in the Netherlands.
Hundreds of his supporters gathered at the Villamor Airbase on Tuesday but later dispersed after the plane carrying Duterte took off.
Protest actions were also monitored in Davao City and other parts of Mindanao.