The Philippine National Police (PNP) is on full alert status effective Monday to secure the country’s commemoration of All Saints’ and All Souls’ days.
“Effective today, I am placing the entire Philippine National Police on full alert to ensure the availability of all personnel and resources for law enforcement and public safety operations ahead of the traditional All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day holiday this coming weekend,” PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa told reporters in a press briefing held at Camp Crame.
Under full alert status, all leaves from duty by PNP personnel are cancelled to guarantee a 100-percent presence of personnel to perform police functions.
Gamboa said over 35,000 police personnel from the police regional offices and national support units would perform security and public safety duties this weekend when an estimated 15 million Filipinos are expected to troop to public cemeteries and memorial parks around the country.
He said the police regional offices and national support units would mobilize more than 99,000 force multipliers from local government units, civic action groups, civilian volunteer organizations and motoring clubs to man police assistance centers in providing road assistance and public safety services.
Security coverage would be laid out in all 83 airports and domestic air terminals, 333 seaports, 808 inland bus terminals, and 59 train stations in different parts of the country to assist travelers.
“The key element in this security operation is police visibility, considering both its crime deterrent and reassuring effect on the public. This is the general guidance to all Police Regional Offices and National Support Units,” he said.
“My outstanding order to all units and personnel is to remain visible at all times along travel routes, transport terminals, public cemeteries and other public places to establish police presence in these areas,” he added.
Gamboa said that they will have walk-thru inspections in major land, sea and air transportation terminals to assess the readiness of PNP units.
Despite these security and public safety efforts, aggressive anti-illegal drugs operations would continue particularly against possible pot sessions and drug trafficking activities in public cemeteries and memorial parks, he said.
“The national headquarters issues the general guidelines. It will be up for the regional directors concerned to assess but in general there is no terroristic threats as of yet but the PNP is prepared for that. I gave the leeway to our ground commanders to determine whether they are going to beef up their security depending upon the situation that arises in their respective area of responsibility,” Gamboa said. (PNA)
