Thursday, April 05, 2007 Police use bomb squad, dogs in efforts to keep Holy Week travel safe; PNP on heightened alert
CIVILIANS will be seeing more policemen, trained dogs and bomb squad personnel this Holy Week.
Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Carmelo Valmoria said he assigned policemen in crowded areas such as bus terminals, seaports and airports.
Security measures are not only limited to these places, though.
Policemen will be visible in churches where religious activities will be held, such as the Sugat at dawn of Easter Sunday.
In time for Lent, the Philippine National Police (PNP) upgraded its alert status from normal to heightened level starting last Tuesday.
This is part of the PNP’s Oplan Lakbay Tulong and Semana Santa.
Public transport assistance centers were also set up.
The Regional Management Council (RMC) of the Department of Transportation and Communications has help desks at the ports, airport and terminals.
RMC is made up of the Maritime Industry Authority, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Cebu Port Authority (CPA), Philippine Ports Authority, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority, Air Transportation Office, National Telecommunications Commission, Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Deputy General Manager Dennis Villamor of CPA said the PNP Maritime Group is doubling its patrol of the port area.
The help desks are at Pier 1, Pier 3, Wessam Express terminal and at the berthing area occupied by Trans-Asia Shipping Lines.
LTO 7 Director Alex Leyson said that help desks are also set up at the Cebu south bus terminal and at the north bus terminal. Deputized LTO agents will monitor overloading, overcharging and trip-cutting by jeepney and bus operators and drivers.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. and some members of the Provincial Board (PB) visited the south bus terminal yesterday to check on security measures.
They also took the time to shake the hands of passengers.
Present were PB Members Victor Maambong, Agnes Magpale, Judy Durano and Teresita Celis.
Also with them were Mandaue City Councilor Wenceslao Gakit and Samboan Mayor Peter Calderon, who are running for Provincial Board seats in the May 14 elections.
CPPO Director Valmoria briefed Garcia on the security measures.
In Cebu City, police forces are also keeping a close watch on the San Nicolas Church, Guadalupe Church, Sto. Rosario Church in Barangay San Antonio and Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church in Poblacion, Pardo
Among the places that will be given maximum security is the Good Shepherd compound in Banawa, where the “Passion of the Cross” will be staged on Good Friday and the “Sugat” on Easter Sunday and at the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Langub, Guadalupe.
Tight security will also be implemented in the religious sites in Barangays Cogon Ramos and Pardo.
Traffic and route security for the “Buhing Kalbaryo 2007” will also be provided by the police and enforcers.
The activity will start at the Cebu City Sports Complex passing N. Bacalso Ave., right turn to B. Aranas St. and V. Rama Ave. and end at the Guadalupe Church.
Valmoria earlier said police chiefs of Minglanilla and other southern towns that will be holding the Sugat will act as ground commanders.
CPPO will be using teams from the Special Reaction Unit, 703rd Provincial Mobile Group (PMG), bomb squad and two K-9 units to augment the forces of the stations.
Valmoria also created another team to respond immediately to reported trouble and crimes, regardless of whether they are election-related or not.
A separate team was dispatched to Daanbantayan, which was earlier declared as one of the areas of concern during the election period.
Yesterday, CPPO personnel, led by Valmoria, held their Stations of the Cross followed by a mass and confession. (NRC/JST/EOB/MBG)
