PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Camilo Cascolan said on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, that more police personnel will be deployed on the ground, especially in places of convergence, to strictly implement quarantine guidelines during the holiday season.
He said this is to prevent any kind of mass gatherings like Christmas parties as well as deter crime incidents and terrorism.
“We have to rationalize the deployment of our forces. When we say proper deployment of our forces and resources, kailangan natin 'yung mga lugar talaga na kailangan ang pulis hindi lang 'yung basta basta mo nilagay ang pulis diyan. Dapat alam din ng pulis ang ginagawa niya, ano rin ang hinahanap niya," Cascolan said.
(We will deploy personnel in areas where the police are really needed and the police must have a full grasp of his tasks.)
"You know what Christmas really means. There will be a lot of... there might be an upsurge of criminality or even terrorism. That's why we need to prepare for all these things," he added.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año earlier said Christmas parties would not be allowed in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), like Metro Manila, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Cascolan said he was also planning to prohibit Christmas parties in PNP offices and units.
Instead, he said the budget for these parties will go to their Covid fund or food bank to help Covid patients. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)