Over 9,800 Philippine National Police personnel will be deployed to secure the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC)’s three-day rally for transparency and accountability in government in Rizal Park in Manila, the PNP said yesterday.
PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuano said the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) would deploy 9,829 personnel for crowd control, traffic management and public safety during the protest slated from Nov. 16 to 18.
Police will establish a perimeter security while the INC is in charge of the security inside the venue, he said.
The NCRPO will be on full alert status during the three-day rally, Tuano said.
The influential religious group is eyeing to mobilize a crowd of 300,000 for the rally.
Tuano said they are validating if the number of attendees would be on a daily basis.
He said the gathering is expected to be peaceful, citing past INC rallies that were ‘generally orderly,’ but assured the public that authorities are preparing for all scenarios.
The PNP clarified that the event is a religious rally and not political in nature.
The Manila city government will place 14 ambulances around Rizal Park to provide medical assistance for people with health issues.
There is no word yet if other groups will join the INC’s activity, which was initially set at the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City.
As the rally could cause monstrous traffic along EDSA, Tuano said the INC opted to hold its activity in Manila.