11,600 policemen deployed units in Metro Manila for Holy Week
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2019 11:48:04 +0000
THE Philippine National Police has deployed 11,600 policemen across Metro Manila following its declaration of a heightened alert during the Holy Week.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said that this was to ensure the safety of passengers in bus terminals and other vital installations as they travel to provinces for the long holiday season.
Eleazar said that police would be deployed in churches, where people would converge in observance of the Holy Week. He added that other police units would still continue with the anti-criminality operations during the holidays.
Eleazar and Quezon City Police Director Joselito Esquivel Jr. conducted on-site inspections at the Araneta Bus Terminal in Cubao on Friday to ensure that security measures were properly rolled out while on heightened alert and in preparation of the full alert status to be declared on Wednesday, when more passengers were expected.
“Actually, hindi lang naman pulis yung nandito. Makikita natin, inter-agency ito, nagtutulong-tulong, nagsasama-sama tayo dito para masigurado na makapagbibigay tayo ng magandang assistance ng ating mga kababayan (not only the police are here. As we can see, this is an inter-agency effort, helping out each other to ensure that we can give proper assistance the people),” Eleazar said.
Aside from help desks, K9 dog units were also deployed by the police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to detect explosives and illegal drugs. The PDEA also rolled out surprise drug test of drivers and conductors in bus terminals on Friday to ensure the safety of passengers.
PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said that as of 11 a.m., five drivers and one conductor tested positive for drug use and would be prevented from making trips and referred to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for proper intervention. DIVINA NOVA JOY DELA CRUZ
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