Teodoro urges protesters to disperse

Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro on Sunday urged protesters to end their demonstrations early so authorities could clear major roads and allow security personnel to rest before redeploying for disaster response as Super Typhoon Nando (international name: Ragasa) threatened Luzon.

Teodoro said authorities already mobilized additional forces from Central Luzon to manage the September 21 rallies and will again deploy them for rescue and relief operations in typhoon-hit areas.

“The police who controlled the crowds earlier are the same ones we rely on to rescue communities tonight, tomorrow, and in the coming days,” he said.

Nando strengthened into a super typhoon on Sunday morning. Weather forecasters said it would bring heavy rainfall, strong winds, and storm surges across Luzon and parts of the Visayas and Mindanao. Authorities warned residents in vulnerable areas to prepare for flooding and landslides and directed response teams to stay on high alert.