PRO-10 vows to uphold free speech during 5th Sona

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Assuring the public that the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly will be firmly protected, the Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) announced the strategic deployment of 4,688 personnel across Northern Mindanao ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday, July 27.

“While the Philippine National Police remains steadfast in upholding every citizen’s right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, we call on the participants to exercise these rights responsibly and within the bounds of the law,” Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano, PRO-10 commander, said in a press advisory on Friday, July 24.

To maintain order while the President delivers his address at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City, the entire PRO-10 force has been placed on heightened alert. The deployed officers are positioned to secure vital installations, transportation hubs, major thouroughfares, and other critical places of convergence throughout the region.

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Maj. Joann Navarro, PRO-10 spokesperson, told the Inquirer that police commanders throughout the region have been directed to intensify visibility, sustain intelligence monitoring, and coordinate closely with force multipliers and partner agencies to tighten public security.

“We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or individuals immediately through our unified 911 emergency hotline,” Navarro said. INQ