Manila: More than 106,000 police officers will be deployed nationwide to ensure a peaceful observance of Labor Day on Friday, an event traditionally marked by rallies and protests from labor and progressive groups, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tua±o stated that the police force will be on heightened alert from Thursday to Saturday, despite the absence of any specific or credible threats linked to the occasion. 'We continue to monitor for threats, but we are not complacent. Monitoring efforts will remain in place so we can respond immediately should any risk arise,' Tua±o said during a press briefing.
He added that three groups had applied for rally permits in Metro Manila, but these were not approved because the proposed venues were outside designated freedom parks. 'The groups indicated locations such as the US Embassy, UP Diliman, Welcome Rotonda, and the DSWD-Quezon City area. As of now, no permits have been issued for these sites,' he said.
Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-BAR) is preparing to deploy around 9,000 personnel to help secure the BARMM parliamentary elections in September. PRO-BAR chief Brig. Gen. Jaysen de Guzman said these personnel will augment about 3,000 troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard.
'After the elections, these personnel will return to their respective regions, so we proposed sourcing augmentation from nearby areas in Mindanao,' he said. De Guzman mentioned that Tawi-Tawi remains their primary security concern, although threat assessments across the region are ongoing. 'We are considering all potential threat groups, particularly local terrorist organizations, such as those involved in previous encounters in Lanao del Sur,' he said, referring to clashes between government forces and the Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group.
He added that coordination with local political clans is also being strengthened. The first BARMM parliamentary elections will be held on the second Monday of September, in accordance with a law signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in March.
