THE Pampanga police are on high gear or full alert as some 1,000 personnel are now deployed around the province for the strict implementation of Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) protocols concerning the observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.
Pampanga Police Provincial Office Director Colonel Robin Sarmiento said they are on full alert as 90 percent of the total police force is stationed around and near cemeteries to ensure peace and order and observance of health protocols to curb the further spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
"We have around 1,200 police personnel in the province and only those needed for the skeletal workforce are staying in offices and stations. Everyone else is going to secure our cemeteries as well as other places of convergence," he said.
Starting Friday, October 29, Sarmiento said police will also strictly enforce the closure of all cemeteries and memorial parks as directed by the IATF.
He said policemen will be stationed at the entrances of cemeteries to ensure that nobody can get in until November 2.
"Ang ating mga health protocols ay ipinapatupad para maiwasan ang muling pagtaas ng kaso ng Covid-19 kaya hinihingi natin ang kooperasyon ng publiko sa pagsunod sa mga ito," Sarmiento said.
(Our health protocols are in place to prevent the recurrence of Covid-19 cases so we seek the cooperation of the public in complying with them.)
Intensified measures
Meanwhile, Police Regional Director Police Brigadier General Valeriano De Leon emphasized that they have intensified measures to maintain peace inside and outside these areas and ensure the safety and orderly observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
“I already instructed all our provincial directors and city directors to lead the inspection of all cemeteries and memorial parks to ensure that all of them are observing the minimum public health standards,” he said.
The IATF earlier announced that all public and private cemeteries and other similar places in the country will be closed from October 29 to November 2 to prevent large crowds and curb the spread of Covid-19.
De Leon underscored that local government units (LGUs) can enact their policies and guidelines to allow residents to visit the cemeteries ahead of the Undas closure.
“For now, we are giving them the chance to visit their departed loved ones but of course, while observing the minimum health standards. Definitely, the LGUs will be closing these places in the coming days, and the police will conduct patrols,” he stated.
About 111 out of the 658 total cemeteries in Central Luzon are still open to the public as of October 28.
In addition, the Central Luzon police activated its Oplan Kaluluwa, which is traditionally implemented during the observance of Undas to secure cemeteries and enforce health protocols amid the pandemic. (With PIA-3)