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Friday, November 18, 2005
Troops to help secure SEA Games
MORE than 2,000 soldiers and several gunboats, helicopters and other air assets would be deployed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to augment the police deployment during the conduct of the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games that would kick off on November 27.
AFP Chief of Staff Generoso Senga said in a briefing in Malacañang that the AFP would be on heightened alert during the conduct of the SEA Games that was last hosted by Manila in 1991.
He said the AFP would be deploying 2,200 soldiers for the event to augment the 12,000 policemen that would be detailed throughout the country.
"We are supporting the Philippine National Police (PNP) in securing the SEA Games. The Philippine Navy has dedicated some gunboats and the Philippine Army (PA) and Philippine Air Force (PAF) are also participating," he said.
Senga said the PAF would deploy eight helicopters in different areas of the competition while "there would be ready air assets for immediate evacuation" while the Army has committed several K-9 units and explosives and ordnance team personnel.
He said there are no reports of actual threats or plans to sabotage the games but they just want to be prepared for any eventualities.
"Alam naman natin ang mode ngayon (We all know the mode nowadays), there are people, for any reason, who would create trouble so we do not want that such things will happen especially when we have foreign delegation competing here in various areas of competition. It's normal that in any event a security preparation is a major activity," he said.
Deputy Director Oscar Calderon, PNP deputy chief for administration, said PNP Chief Arturo Lomibao during the weekend already visited and inspected the areas where the competitions would be held, including Subic, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Los Baños and Tagaytay to ensure that security preparations are in place.
The SEA Games will feature 53 events to be held in 41 venues, mostly in Metro Manila while the others are to be held in Central Luzon (Region III), Southern Tagalog (Region IV-A), Western Visayas (Region VI) and Central Visayas (Region VII).
Calderon said aside from the athletes from 11 countries who would join the event, they expect more tourists to arrive as well.
At least 185 foreign athletes, mostly from the sports of equestrian, football and rowing events, had already arrived in the country to prepare for the games. The athletes are from Singapore, Brunei and Thailand.
The main bulk of the foreign athletes however are expected to arrive on November 24 in time for the welcoming ceremonies at the Subic Freeport where sailing, triathlon and archery events will be held.
A separate welcome ceremony is scheduled on November 25 in Cebu City. The grand opening is set on November 27 at the Quirino Grandstand of the Rizal Park. (JMR/Sunnex)
(November 18, 2005 issue)
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