Hours before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Major General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. announced no security threats in the area.
“As of now, we have not monitored any threat that will affect our activity,” Martinez told reporters in an ambush interview at Camp Karingal, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) headquarters.
Nartatez, alongside Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rommel Marbil, was present at the multi-agency command center for SONA in Camp Karingal to monitor the situation.
The NCRPO has been on full alert since Sunday in preparation for the SONA, with the PNP imposing a gun ban in Metro Manila until midnight on Monday. Nartatez stated that 23,000 police and government security personnel have been deployed to ensure the safety and security of this year’s SONA.
The President of the Philippines is mandated to deliver the SONA every last Monday of July to report on the government’s achievements, unveil its agenda, and request Congress to pass priority measures.
