National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Police Major General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. yesterday warned rallyists who are burning their protest materials during the fourth State of the Nation Address (SoNA) that they will be arrested.

“I suppose maybe now they have to learn their lesson because we will file a case against them,” Nartatez said in an interview during the command visit of Philippine National Police chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil at the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City on Tuesday morning.

Nartatez said security preparations for the annual SoNA, scheduled in the last week of July, is underway.

“Even now or weeks before that, we are already preparing the ground, including our personnel. We will get rid of unscrupulous criminal elements that may hamper the conduct of a peaceful SoNA,” the NCRPO chief added.

Nartatez also said that they will close the zipper lanes or counterflows near Batasang Pambansa to make way for the SoNA.

Nartatez said around 22,000 police officers were deployed to maintain peace and order in last year’s SoNA.

“If we can add more, we will add more personnel depending on the situation or essential elements of information that continuously coming in,” Nartatez said.