SECURITY will be tight today, so expect some inconvenience. The reason: President Benigno C. Aquino III will be in town.
The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) on Tuesday said that they will be on red alert status for the duration of the visit of President Benigno Aquino III in Davao City today, Wednesday, September 9.
Incidentally, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is not in town.
Chief Inspector Milgrace Cajes Driz, spokesperson for the DCPO, said a total of 500 personnel will be deployed from DCPO and some augmentation from the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) of Davao Police Regional Office (PRO).
President Aquino is set to visit the Tactical Operation Group (TOG) at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Buhangin. His next stop is the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) before heading back to the city for a school tour at the Teodoro L. Palma Gil Elementary School along Elpidio Quirino Avenue.
President Aquino will also attend a gathering at the SMX Convention Center for his last official engagement.
Driz said that personnel from DCPO's Traffic Group (TG) and City's Traffic Management Group (TMG) will be deployed to man traffic.
"We will be on full alert status by 5 a.m. until matapos niya ang lahat ng engagements niya dito sa Davao City," Driz said.
But Driz also bared that Civil Disturbance Management (CDM), Swat team will be on standby in case any untoward incident might happen.
She also confirmed that the Presidential Security Group (PSG) along with the DCPO officers are already conducting simulations and dry-runs on the activities on Tuesday prior to the arrival of President Aquino.
A maximum tolerance will be implemented amid the plans of some progressive groups to stage a rally, Driz said.
"We know that some progressive groups will also stage their own rallies in the areas where President Aquino will visit. But our police force are ready for their activities," Driz told Sun.Star Davao in a phone interview at her office yesterday morning.
"We will implement maximun tolerance against the militants who are planning to stage rallies as long as they don't interrupt and pose any threat with our standard operation procedures," she added.
Militants groups are expected to gather in the city before Aquino's arrival in the city.
Driz also assured that they will pre-empt any activity that will disturb the city's peace and order.