Police to deploy 1,000 personnel during fest

AT LEAST 1,000 personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be deployed in Cagayan de Oro City to secure the public’s safety during the fiesta celebration on August 28.

Some 150 police officers from the regional headquarters under the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) and other 300 police recruits have been requested by the Cagayan de Oro City Police (Cocpo) to be deployed in different areas in the city.

Police Chief Inspector Lemuel Gonda, Cocpo chief of Operations, said more police visibility will be installed up to August 29 to make sure that fiesta revelers will be safe.

Gonda said some 300 Cocpo personnel will be deployed in various core events and additional deployment of police authorities will also be assigned in different entry points of the city, particularly along Kauswagan highway, Bugo, and Puerto.

“Fiesta activities will be secured by this number of policemen to assure a safe and happy fiesta for all Kagay-anons and visitors,” he said.

It was learned that more or less 150 police personnel will be deployed in Divisoria alone, while other police stations in the city will also have their own deployment.

Gonda said deployed police operatives will cover the area for police visibility, conduct checkpoints and other intervention measures.

Cocpo director Gerardo Rosales said he had also deployed more men in bus and port terminals and at the airport to provide safety to incoming and outgoing passengers.

Rosales is urging everyone not to be complacent even with the huge number of police personnel to be deployed, citing that criminal elements “are like a mouse that plays when the cat is away.”

At the same time, he encouraged the public to be vigilant and report any incidence of criminalities to police authorities.