The Philippine National Police (PNP), through Director for Operations PMGEN VALERIANO T. DE LEON, will be activating Task Force Manila Shield two days before the inauguration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. at the National Museum on June 30.
De Leon said the purpose of the Task Force Manila Shield is to ensure maximum security for the constitutional and historic oathtaking of the next highest official in the country.
Part of its implementation is the setting up of checkpoints and chokepoints in all the entry points of the City of Manila for three straight days, starting on June 28, and the strict implementation of the gun ban, which will start on June 27 in the entire National Capital Region.
“All vehilcles entering the City of Manila will pass through checkpoints that will be set up in all entry points of the City. This is to prevent criminal elements and troublemakers the opportunity to strike before and during the inauguration of our next President, “said De Leon.
De Leon said police commanders in Metro Manila and adjacent provinces were also instructed to intensify intelligence-gathering that will focus on monitoring and preemptive strikes against threat groups amid reports that there are groups that are planning to sabotage the inauguration of Marcos.
De Leon, who has been personally supervising the security measures that will be implemented for the June 30 inauguration since Day One of its planning, said they will also see to it that any protest action is done in the proper places while respecting their rights to assemble and air their freedom of speech.
“There will be freedom parks assigned to the protesters, so we appeal to them to go and stay on those freedom parks to prevent unnecessary confrontation with our CDM units,” said De Leon.
“As instructed by our OIC PNP PLTGEN VICENTE DANAO, JR., we will exercise maximum tolerance but at the same time we will not allow them to create trouble, so I appeal to them anew to use the freedom parks designated for them to stage their protest,” he added.
De Leon said that they are trying to reach out to various groups that are planning to hold protest actions to ensure that there will be no untoward incidents that happen.
More than 15,000 policemen, soldiers, Coast Guard personnel, and other force multipliers will be deployed to secure the June 30 inauguration.
“The PNP is always open and our PCR personnel are trying to reach out at nagkakaroon ng dialogue para sa ganun ay makapagpadaos sila ng isang matahimik na rally at tayo naman ay makatulong sa security cluster na magkaroon ng organisado at matahimik na event lalong lalo na itong gaganapin na inauguration ni President-elect Bongbong Marcos na napakaraming excited to witness not only our fellow Filipinos in the country but also our friends from other nations,” said De Leon.—mula sa panulat ni Raoul Esperas (Patrol 45)
