Sara Duterte impeachment trial: Cebu City cops ready for rallies

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has placed its police stations and special units on standby for possible deployment should rallies or other activities arise in connection with the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Authorities, however, said they have not monitored any major protest actions in Cebu so far.

Police Lt, Colonel Franco Rudolf Oriol, Deputy City Director for Administration of the CCPO, said Monday, July 6, that while the city has yet to receive any specific deployment order from the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), their personnel have already been instructed to prepare in case additional security forces are needed.

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No major protest monitored

According to Oriol, the CCPO has directed its police stations to be ready for the possible deployment of Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) personnel if necessary.

“So far, based on the reports coming from the regional headquarters, wala man tay dakong kalihokan diri sa Sugbo,” Oriol said.

(We have no major activities in Cebu.)

He added, however, that all police stations and special units have been placed on alert to ensure they can respond immediately to any unexpected deployment orders.

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Oriol also said the CCPO has yet to receive any directive from the regional director requiring the deployment of CDM or additional security personnel.

Maximum tolerance

Should rallies or lightning protests take place, Oriol said the CCPO would continue to implement its policy of maximum tolerance while ensuring that public order and traffic are maintained.

He said protesters would be allowed to peacefully express their sentiments, provided that their activities do not unnecessarily disrupt traffic and public movement.

Impeachment trial underway

The security preparations come as the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, formally began the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday.

The impeachment court has allotted 92 trial days to hearing the four Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.

These include allegations involving

the alleged misuse of confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education

unexplained wealth and alleged inaccuracies in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs)

bribery and procurement irregularities involving Department of Education officials, and

assassination threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Although no major activities have been reported in Cebu, the CCPO said it remains prepared to respond should security requirements change as the Vice President Sara Duterte impeachment trial progresses. /with a report from INQUIRER.net

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