WITH the long Holy Week break coming up this April 2023, people, especially students, are expected to go home to their provinces to observe the holiday.
Because of this, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) vowed to keep an eye on residential areas, particularly boarding houses, to prevent theft and robbery while occupants are away.
In a meeting on Friday, March 24, CCPO chief Col. Ireneo Dalogdog ordered all station commanders to closely monitor residential areas because of the long vacation from April 6 to 10, 2023.
Dalogdog also ordered personnel to visit ports and terminals in Cebu City following the start of Oplan Summer Vacation or Oplan Sumvac.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared April 6 (Maundy Thursday) and 7 (Good Friday) as regular holidays. He also moved the commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan, which is a regular holiday, to April 10, instead of April 9, which falls on a Sunday.
CCPO information officer Lt. Col. Maria Theresa Macatangay said they will also monitor banks, money changers, pawnshops and big commercial establishments because these are the preferred targets of criminals, along with churches and other places that are frequented by tourists.
As banks are closed during the holidays, Macatangay said Dalogdog asked police stations to coordinate with barangay officials in patrolling automated teller machines (ATMs) where people line up to withdraw cash, as the CCPO does not have enough manpower to carry out the task themselves.
“We have discussed these through our chiefs of police with the respective barangay captains and managers of banks as we assessed the need for patrollers. ATMs are located in lonely areas without much security guards,” Macatangay said. (AYB / TPT)