MANILA, Philippines – As world leaders arrive in the country, it’s an internal threat that Philippine police are preparing themselves for the most: protesters.

This, even in the wake of increased security alerts worldwide caused by a recent terrorist attack in Paris that left over 120 dead.

Some 10,000 Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) personnel from different regions are in Metro Manila to manage protests during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting from November 18 to 19, Police Director Jonathan Miano, deputy commander of the APEC security Task Force, told Rappler in a previous interview.

The 10,000 are part of a 28,000-strong police contingent being deployed to secure routes, meeting venues, and billet areas for the week-long event.

Aside from the Leaders’ Meeting, heads of economies will also be holding bilateral talks in various venues in Metro Manila.

“We’re prepared for the worst,” said Miano of protests that will be held during APEC.

Overlapping with the leaders meet is the APEC CEO Summit, where both economy and political leaders convene.

Over 32,000 people, including military personnel and emergency response teams, are under the security Task Force headed by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ricardo Marquez.

Protesters will try to reach the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), the main venue for the Leaders’ Meeting, when heads of economy, including US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping, meet.

But security officials had earlier said the vicinity of the PICC, billet areas, and hotels where other meetings are being held, will be off-limits.

Maximum tolerance

“It’s the same, we will exercise maximum tolerance but as much as possible, we don’t want them to disturb the meeting site. It’s not just our credibility at stake, it’s our credibility internationally. Our capacity to protect an international event will be challenged here,” said Miano, who headed route security for the visit of Pope Francis earlier this year.

In the weeks and days leading up to the big event, the PNP on social media released images telling protesters: “Please respect our rights, too, as we respect yours.”

The “no permit, no rally” rule will be implemented during the meet, the Interior Department earlier announced. Protests may be held only at freedom parks, although the Manila local government earlier drove away Lumad staging a protest at the Liwasang Bonifacio. 

Around the same number of police – 10,000 – were deployed during President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2014. During Aquino’s last SONA, rallies turned violent when protesters attempted to cross barricades.

Two cops were also allegedly abducted and harmed during the 2015 SONA, leading to charges against militant leaders.

Protests during an APEC meet aren’t rare but seldom have they turned violent. The most controversial happened in 1997 when authorities used pepper spray against protesters. – Rappler.com