The peace and order situation in Metro Manila will remain "peaceful and manageable" until President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. delivers his State of the Nation Address (SONA) next month.
In a statement on Sunday, National Capital Region Police Office (NCPRO) spokesperson Lt. Col. Luisito Andaya Jr. said that the peace and order situation is generally peaceful and manageable and that they will continue to monitor the status even though their office has not received reports about SONA-related threats.
He said that the NCRPO has already declared heightened alert status and started assigning cops in April as part of their "intensified police visibility".
The NCRPO earlier said that almost 23,000 security officers will be <a href="https://www.dzrh.com.ph/post/permit-to-carry-guns-suspended-for-sona" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deployed </a>to ensure safety during SONA which will be held at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City on July 24.
A mobile command center will be created and a drone equipped with facial recognition capabilities will be used to check the ground situation.
In addition, the NCRPO would establish border control stations around Metro Manila and enforce a "No Fly Zone/No Drone Zone over the Batasan complex.
Andaya further stated that the police force has been directed to enforce maximum tolerance and to protect the human rights of individuals who wish to engage in SONA rallies and demonstrations, notably freedom of speech.

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