The Philippine National Police (PNP) will not hesitate to arrest protesters who will hurt law enforcement personnel while conducting public demonstrations amid the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Marcos.
PNP Chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil made the statement on Monday morning, July 22, using a megaphone as he inspected and gave additional instructions to police officers deployed around the Batasan Complex in Quezon City for the 2024 SONA.
“I only have one guidance… I do not want a police officer getting hurt. We allowed maximum tolerance… But if an officer goes down, we will not allow it. We make arrest,” Marbil said in a mix of English and Tagalog.
On Sunday, Marbil reminded that police officers who would engage in misconduct and abuse of authority while maintaining peace and order during the SONA related activities would be penalized under the “zero-tolerance” policy of the PNP.
“We have no room for erring officers in our ranks. The PNP is fully dedicated to upholding the law and ensuring that every police officer adheres to the strictest code of conduct. Misconduct and abuse will be met with the full force of our internal disciplinary mechanisms,” Marbil stated.
