The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday raised alert level to full in the National Capital Region (NCR) and two adjacent regions to thwart any attempt from threat groups to disrupt President Aquino’s third State of the Nation Address (Sona) today at the House of Representatives.
Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr., director of the Police Community Relations Group, a text message, said the NCR Police Office and the Police Regional Offices-III and IV-A or Calabarzon went on full alert status effective 12 noon Sunday.
On the other hand, PROs-I, II, IV-B, V, VI, VII, VIII, Cordillera Administrative Region, the PNP’s National Headquarters  and all PNP National Support Units will be observing heightened alert status.
Police regional offices in Mindanao areas — PROs IX, 1X, XI, XII, XIII, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao — and the PNP’s elite Special Action Force will also remain on full alert status.
Cruz explained the raising of the alert status in the NCR and adjacent regions was “in connection with forthcoming State of the Nation Address of the President… where various threat groups, militant and cause-oriented groups might take advantage of the situation to conduct simultaneous rallies and demonstrations to air their grievances and demands.”
“All unit commanders are strictly reminded to secure all PNP camps and offices, vital installations, economic key points and places of convergence of people,” Cruz said.
Cruz maintained the regional offices which are under heightened alert status could raise their alert level depending on the ground situation.
“PROs which are on heightened alert are given the discretion to upgrade their alert level based on the prevailing situation on the ground,” Cruz said.
The PNP, however, did not mention whether there are any specific threats against the Sona.
Relatedly, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it has not monitored any threat against the Sona but stressed that the military has intensified intelligence operations in support to the PNP.
AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. said the seven companies of anti-riot soldiers will be on alert for possible deployment.
“So far, we have not received any report of threat. However, we are continuing with our monitoring and surveillance in coordination with the PNP and other security agencies,” Burgos said.
“We are coordinating and we have seven civil disturbance management companies who are on stand-by effective this noon coming from the Army, Air  Force and Navy and GHQ (general headquarters)  numbering around 500,” Burgos added.