Police ’ready to deal’ with 15k protesters

Authorities expect about 15,000 protesters during President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address on July 22, Metro Manila Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar said  Monday.

“Fifteen thousand more or less. We base this from last year, and we can accommodate them if they number more or less than this,” Eleazar said.

He said the number was for Commonwealth in Quezon City alone. 

But one week before the President’s third SONA, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers Philippines submitted to the Office of the President and to the Budget department the resolutions passed by 202 public school faculty clubs for the urgent grant of a pay increase for teachers and all rank-and-file government employees.

“We’re halfway through Duterte’s term. The time is NOW to lift its own workers from their dismal states due to meager pay,” ACT national chairman Joselyn Martinez said in a statement.

“No more promises. What we need now is a concrete and decisive move to raise our salaries.”

Eleazar said the protesters were also likely to hold demonstrations in front of the US Embassy, at the Liwasang Bonifacio and at the Chino Roces Bridge in Mendiola, Manila.

But he assured the public that the police were ready to ensure peace and order during Duterte’s speech.

He said 15,000 policemen and force multipliers would be deployed in Metro Manila, and of that number 9,000 policemen and force multipliers will be assigned in Quezon City.

He said they had not monitored any threats for the SONA.