Police ready for Dinagyang revelry

THE Iloilo City Police Office (Icpo) has asked the public to cooperate by not bringing backpacks, barbecue sticks, beer and wine bottles, and other pointed objects from afternoon to evening of the Dinagyang festival.

Icpo chief of operations Superintendent Noel Lamsis said police operatives and other force multipliers are instructed to confiscate the harmful and prohibited objects during the public dancing on the streets and during the festival highlights from January 26 to 27.

Abusive drunks will also be treated humanely by bringing them to the nearest police station to sober up.

Lamsis admitted that some 5,000 force multipliers such as barangay tanods, bantay bayan and ROTC and CAT cadets are to be mobilized to ensure peace and order and safety of parade participants.

Lamsis said the Icpo is not concentrating in the city proper only but has placed checkpoints and blocking forces in different areas of the city to inspect vehicles and persons suspected of carrying firearms and bladed weapons into the city proper.

The Icpo is also coordinating with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in monitoring the presence of drug traffickers and other suspected individuals who will using the festival as their excuse in distributing the illegal drugs and harmful substances.