THE Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has reserved security forces for the arrival of President Rodrigo Duterte in Bacolod City during the highlights of the 38th MassKara Festival on October 20.
Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky, acting director of BCPO, in a press conference held at the Joint Operations Command Center in the old City Hall on Tuesday, said the security for the President's arrival is part of their contingency plan.
“We are ready in case they need support for additional security,” Wanky added.
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Deputy Commissioner Jesus Clint Aranas confirmed Duterte's arrival in the city during the opening of the festival last Sunday.
Last year, Duterte officially opened the MassKara Festival at the public plaza.
It will be his second visit in the city for MassKara Festival.
Meanwhile, Wanky said the city police force intensified its visibility patrol, particularly in the two festival sites, including the public plaza and the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC).
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology will provide a "moving jail" for those who will be caught violating any law during the festivity.
It can accommodate 15 to 20 persons, and can be moved around the festival sites.
The Bacolod police and augmentation personnel from different law enforcement units will be fully deployed on October 17 to 22.
The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office will provide six patrol cars and additional personnel to augment the remaining policemen in all 10 police stations.
There will be a send-off ceremony for all augmentation personnel at the BGC to be led by Chief Superintendent Cesar Binag, director of Police Regional Office-6, either on October 16 or 17.
More than 1,600 police, army, reservists and anti-crime volunteers will be deployed to various areas across the city, especially in the three festival sites, including the Bacolod Public Plaza, Tourism Strip on Lacson Street, and BCGC.
The 673 Bacolod police personnel will be deployed, along with augmentation forces from Police Regional Office-Western Visayas totaling 250. Others will come from Regional Public Safety Battalion 6, 150 personnel; Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, 100; Philippine Army, 15; army reservists, 200; and anti-crime volunteers, 250.*