Monday, April 02, 2007 Bus, port terminals under tight watch By Ruby P. Silubrico
ALL bus and port terminals are now under the keen eye of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as heightened alert is being maintained to make sure the safety of the passengers who are going home on their respective destination this Holy Week.
Since last week Regional Director for Western Visayas Wilfredo Dulay has already directed all his provincial and city directors to alert their men and place enough personnel on the bus terminals, sea ports including airport to ensure that the passengers arrives home safe.
Aside of rigid inspections which will be conducted, the regional office has also requested some sniffing dogs to help detect bomb and other explosives likewise illegal drugs.
Though it would create a little delay but Dulay believed that this is the best way of ensuring the public's safety.
Also, Dulay told that effective March 30 to June 14, 2007 all leave benefits, except of sick and maternity leave has been suspended while leaves already approved to be spent within that period will be cancelled in pursuant to PNP National Headquarters guidelines on the filing of leaves during election and Commission on Elections (Comelec) resolution No. 7788.
This suspension of leaves would help the police regional office to maximize personnel in the implementation of aggressive measures to prevent the occurrence of any violent incident in the region not only this coming Holy Week but also during campaign period.
It was learned that Western Visayas has 78 areas under PNP's watchlist this election. Around 54 of which municipalities are classified as election areas of immediate concern.
With this, all police chiefs have been directed to implement pro-active and aggressive measures to avoid the occurrence of any election-related violent incidents on their respective assignment.
