POLICE and the Lapu-Lapu City Government don't see the need to jam cellphone signals during the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit next month.
“We are 100 percent ready. We're not new to hosting international events,” said acting Mayor Marcial Ycong in Cebuano.
For his part, Chief Insp. Junnel Caadlawn, chief for operations of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO), said they have not received any threats for the upcoming event.
Cebu and Bohol will host summit meetings in April.
In a press conference, City Tourism Officer Hembler Mendoza said the delegates, accompanied by family members, will start to arrive today.
Some 230 delegates will attend the two meetings that will be held here.
He said the Asean finance meeting will be held at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa from April 2 to 8, while the defense meeting will be at the Radisson Blue Cebu in Cebu City from April 3 to 7.
Caadlawon said that about 1,000 police officers, including 300 from the LLCPO, will secure areas where the delegates will be staying, venues of the meetings and roads leading to these places.
Some 26 K9 dogs were also deployed yesterday.
Caadlawon said they did not discuss the jamming of cellphone signals. “But if the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 director deems it necessary, then we'll do it,” he said in Cebuano.
PRO 7 Director Noli Taliño had said they were shutting down cell sites as part of security measures for the summit meetings in Cebu and Bohol.
Last January, some cell sites in Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City were shut down during the Sinulog Grand Parade and the swimwear competition of the 2017 Miss Universe Pageant.
Hembler said hotel, resorts and restaurants officials will meet today to discuss the scheduled power interruption in line with the Asean event.
In 2007, several activities of 12th Asean Summit were held at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City.
The country was on high alert during that time following three bombing incidents that killed seven persons in General Santos City, Cotabato and Kidapawan.