MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday urged groups planning to conduct physical protest rallies during President Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) to avoid mass gathering and just do their protests online. PNP Chief Gen. Archie Gamboa made the appeal that while protests are generally allowed during the President’s SONA, “these are not ordinary times.”ADVERTISEMENT“Nakikiusap kami na kung pwede (to) just do it online because these are not ordinary times. We have a specific situation which is itong pandemic,” Gamboa said in an online press briefing. Duterte is set to hold his fifth Sona next week Monday, July 27, at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City. The police is set to first hold a dialogue with groups to urge them no longer conduct physical protest actions.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 20, 2020 03:22 UTC