At least 2,000 police personnel will be deployed around the Senate building to secure the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte next month, the Philippine National Police said Monday.
At a press briefing in Camp Crame, PNP Director for Operations Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio Peñones Jr. said the National Capital Region Police Office is preparing for the proceedings and will be on alert during the trial period.
“We already made preparations for this, and in fact, within the perimeter of the Senate, we already made preparations in terms of deployment,” Peñones said.
“We will be deploying not less than 2,000 personnel coming from NCRPO. We are already anticipating the impeachment trial; the NCRPO is preparing for it,” he added.
NCRPO spokesperson Maj. Hazel Asilo said about 500 police personnel have been deployed daily around the Senate in recent weeks.
In a radio interview, Asilo said the deployment may be increased if protesters gather near the Senate during the impeachment trial.
She said police operations around the Senate are being coordinated with Senate security officials.
Asked whether barriers would be installed as part of the security preparations, Asilo said the matter would depend on coordination with Senate security.
“That will depend on our coordination with the Senate security,” Asilo said.