The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Thursday said it will work on traffic management in case rallies will be held on the 80th birthday of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands.
In a press conference, MMDA chairperson Romando Artes said the agency will not restrict the protesters from staging their program as long as they do not obstruct the traffic.
“Sa amin naman pong side, traffic management lang. So yung mga protesta po na ganyan so long as ginagawa sa freedom parks, hindi naman po kami nag-o-object dyan,” Artes said.
(On our side, it’s just traffic management. So as long as protests like that are held in freedom parks, we don’t object to that.)
“It’s just that pinakikiusapan po natin lalong-lalo na yung mga namumuno sa ganiyang pagtitipon na ayusin lamang po yung kanilang hanay to make sure na hindi naman po tayo nakakaabala ng iba. Yung traffic, pedestrian, hindi naaabala,” he added.
(It’s just that we’re appealing especially to those who are leading such gatherings to do it properly to make sure that we’re not disturbing others. The traffic and pedestrians are not obstructed.)
On Tuesday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is preparing for the security of the birthday rally for Duterte in Davao del Norte on Friday.
PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said the event will be conducted at Rotary Plaza in New Corellia, Davao del Norte.
“Sa ngayon po ay nagkakaroon ng pagpupulong ang Police Regional Office 11 pa doon po sa Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) ng LGU po ng Davao para plantsahin po yung gagawin pong aktibidad relating po sa birthday po ng ating dating pangulo,” she said.
(Currently, Police Regional Office 11 is holding a meeting with the PSSO of the Davao LGU to plan the activities related to the birthday of our former president.)
Fajardo said the PNP is waiting for information about the rally from PSSO to decide on the number of police officers who would be deployed.
Philippine authorities on March 11 assisted the Interpol in serving a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Duterte for crimes against humanity in connection with his drug war.
After his arrest, Duterte was flown in a private plane to The Hague in the Netherlands.
Duterte on March 13 (Philippine time) entered the Hague Penitentiary Institution or the Scheveningen Prison where he is set to be held while awaiting trial. —RF, GMA Integrated News
