News update Pre-SONA dialogue set July 21 to ensure "zero crime"

Representatives of Malacañang, police units, militant groups, and local governments will meet on July 21 to ensure "zero crime" and "zero clashes" when the President delivers his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 26.

Metro Manila police chief Director Roberto Rosales said Wednesday the dialogue aims to ensure kinks are ironed out before the event.

"Zero crime incident, zero reklamo ng human rights violations, at zero clashes with militant groups and police, isasagawa natin para siguradong maging maayos ang lahat (Our aim is to ensure zero crime, zero human rights violations, and zero clashes between militant groups and police. We will work out the details to make sure we meet this aim)," Rosales said in an interview on dzRH radio.

Expected to attend the meeting are representatives of the Quezon City government, the Presidential Security Group, health service sector, and Metro Manila district directors.

Representatives of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) will also attend the dialogue. The CHR will field six teams of observers during the SONA, Rosales says.

The Bureau of Fire Protection and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will also send representatives to the dialogue, he adds.

He says media representatives will also participate in the dialogue to know the "dos and don'ts during the SONA."

"Makita natin doon ang anong gusto gawin ng ating militant groups, at ano ang tugon ng local government units, ganoon din ang tugon (We will see what the militant groups plan to do and what responses the local government units have prepared)," he said.

Meanwhile, Rosales says police personnel have undergone seminars conducted by the CHR. On Saturday, they will hold a dry run involving various scenarios. –VVP