Manila Bulletin
SONA protest rally better held online in view of COVID-19 peril, PNP Chief urges
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Archie Gamboa urged protesters planning rallies for President Duterte's 2020 State of the Nation Address (SONA) to instead conduct their demonstrations online.
Gamboa acknowledged the PNP's past leniency towards large SONA rallies but stressed that the current times are different due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
He explained that mass gatherings remain prohibited under existing quarantine regulations.
Activist groups typically use SONA protests to present a counterpoint to the president's report through marches and presentations, which are now restricted.
While the PNP has not detailed its specific response to potential street protests, it has a history of arresting demonstrators, even those adhering to health protocols, as seen in past incidents involving Pride March participants and protesters against the Anti-Terror Law.
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The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has warned organizers of protest actions that mass gatherings are the fastest way for the virus to spread.
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