PNP to deploy 10,000 cops under Super Task-Force “Kapayapaan” for SONA 2014

Philippine National Police mass oath-taking. File photo courtesy of PNP on Facebook.

MANILA — To ensure peace and order and safety during the fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno S. Aquino III on July 28, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday announced the deployment of 10,000 policemen with the activation of Super Task-Force “Kapayapaan 2014.”

According to PNP chief, Director General Alan La Madrid Purisima, the task force will help prevent the occurrence of violent incidents “that may disrupt the conduct of SONA.”

“There is a need for the PNP to intensify and sustain law enforcement, security and public safety operations before, during and after the event,” he said.

STF “Kapayapaan 2014” is under the supervision of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, Director Carmelo Valmoria.

The STF “Kapayapaan 2014” commander shall directly supervise the conduct of all coordination with concerned law enforcement agencies, security preparations and operations in Metro Manila.

Valmoria said the Super Task Force Kapayapaan is basically a composite team of the entire NCRPO police force and all the police districts in Metro Manila including the augmentation forces coming from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Valmoria directed all his District Directors to account all police officers and to strengthen police’s anti-criminality and police visibility operations all over Metro Manila, while everyone is busy for the SONA.

“We will not give the would-be perpetrators to take advantage of the situation,” he said.

According to Supt. Robert Domingo, chief of NCRPO Public Information Office, the task force will be activated on Friday as part of their preparation for the SONA to make sure that everything will go as planned until the President delivers his SONA.

Domingo said the NCRPO chief will have scheduled dialogues with militant groups who are expected to hold protest actions during the SONA.

“As usual, our police will exercise maximum tolerance but at the same time we asked the militant groups to do their share and police their ranks to ensure a peaceful and orderly SONA day,” Domingo told the Philippines News Agency in an interview.

Domingo said the dialogue aims to establish coordination, cooperation and understanding between the police, stakeholders, community leaders, and cause-oriented groups on self-policing, no permit–no rally policy, traffic rerouting and other public services.

He said protest rallies are banned within the two-kilometer zone of the House of Representatives when President Aquino delivers his speech.

Demonstrators will not be allowed beyond the St. Peter Parish Church at Commonwealth Avenue.

Upon the orders of Valmoria, he said they are not only securing the Batasan Pambansa complex but also other traditional rally areas such as the Chino Roces Bridge, the US embassy and vital government and private installations.

Meanwhile, Domingo said the STF “Kapayaan 2014” is composed of four (4) Task Forces (TF) namely:

TF ANTI-CRIMINALITY – responsible for the conduct of continuing law enforcement operations and maintenance of peace and order to ensure zero-crime incident in Metro Manila to be headed by the PCSupt Diosdado Valeroso, District Regional Director for Administration (DRDA) of NCRPO;

TF ANTABAY – responsible for the rapid deployment and intervention as the need arises to be headed by PCSupt Noli Taliño, Deputy Director of SAF;

TF RIMLAND – responsible for the deployment of security personnel, civil disturbance management, traffic management and control and other police public safety services in Metro Manila to be headed by PCSupt Allen Bantolo, District Regional Director for Operations (DRDO) of NCRPO and assisted by the PSSupt Marcelo Morales, Battalion Commander, RPSB-NCRPO as Deputy TF RIMLAND;

TF RESERVE – responsible for the deployment of the Regional Headquarters (RHQ) Reserve Force, primarily composed of Regional Headquarters Support Group, Regional Special Task Unit and other personnel assigned in the different Regional Directorial Staff and Regional Support Unit to be headed by PSSupt Ramon Apolinario, Acting Regional Chief Directorial Staff (ARCDS) and assisted by PSupt Bernardo Borrinaga, Acting Group Director, RHSG both of NCRPO.

The PNP will deploy more or less 10,000 police personnel from NCRPO supported by the National Support Units (NSUs), NHQ-PNP, PNP-Directorial Staff and from the different Police Regional Offices. The PROs will deploy Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) personnel aside from the NCRPO police personnel. The CDM forces will be on stand-by and will be ready to move upon orders of the STF KAPAYAPAAN 2014 Commander.

Top ranking government officials, members of the diplomatic corps and other VIPs are expected to attend the activities.