Militants appeal SoNA rally permit denial
The PNP appealed to those who would hold rallies in the freedom parks to police themselves so the cops would not be forced to disperse them
Defeated partylist group Bayan Muna has appealed the denial of its petition to be granted a permit to stage a protest rally along Commonwealth Avenue on Monday during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s delivery of his first State of the Nation Address (SoNA) before both houses of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa.
P/Major General Valeriano de Leon confirmed that the militant group applied for a rally permit with the Quezon City government but the same was denied.
It was not clear if Bayan Muna’s appeal is to be allowed to held protest action in one of the three freedom parks where the Philippine National Police said it would allow rallies. Commonwealth Avenue has been declared a no-protest zone by the PNP.
Protesters may be allowed at the Quezon City Memorial Circle, inside the University of the Philippines-Diliman campus and inside the compound of the Commission on Human Rights.
The PNP appealed to those who would hold rallies in the freedom parks to police themselves so the cops would not be forced to disperse them.
PNP officer-in-charge Vicente Danao Jr. said police officers would observe maximum tolerance against protesters.
“If they go out of the freedom parks and they will disturb traffic and peace and order, then we will disperse them at all cost,” De Leon warned, adding Batas Pambansa 880 prohibits the burning of effigies.
Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety chief Elmo San Diego refused to issue Bayan Muna a permit to rally, the police said.
About 22,000 police personnel and force multipliers will be deployed to secure President Marcos’ SoNA.