CAMP GEN. VICENTE LIM, Laguna – A total of 10,770 policemen have been deployed in Region 4-A to ensure a safe observance of Holy Week.
Director Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez of the Police Regional Office-Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, an Quezon) said that the forces coming from the regional headquarters, police provincial offices, and the regional mobile force battalion are assigned to man places of convergence, transportation hubs and terminal, tourist destinations, as well as the highways.
Nartatez also said that 965 more personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Philippine Coast Guard, and 45,821 force multipliers have also been tapped to help the Philippine National Police personnel secure places of worships, transportation terminals, commercial areas, and major thoroughfares.
The PRO-Calabarzon at the same time is ready to intensify the internal security operations, patrol operation and checkpoints, red-teaming, and monitoring of all possible threats that will compromise the security of the public during the observance of the Holy Week, Nartatez added.
Nartatez directed all personnel all over the region to intensify security operations and public safety plan to ensure a secured, safe, and orderly observance of the Lenten season, while also instructing all provincial directors, chiefs of police, and unit commanders to implement public safety services to provide assistance to the general public and ensure overall security since the occasion might be taken advantage by various threat groups, terrorists, and other criminal elements.
“We are putting all police stations and units in full alert status to ensure that safety and security are maintained,” said Nartatez.
“We will increase our police assistance desk (PADs) to address the upsurge of commuters, motorists, and travelers and prevent congestion, accidents, and other street crimes, especially along routes leading to terminals, churches, major thoroughfares, and other places of convergence,” he said.
“I am confident that our preparations with the help of our counterparts from the AFP and the tri-bureau, the local government units and other government agencies, force multipliers and volunteer groups are enough for this year’s Ligtas Sumvac,” he added.
Nartatez said he encouraged the public to double security measures when leaving their respective houses.
Safety tips and hotline numbers will be posted on the respective Facebook page of every police station and on the official Facebook page of Police Regional Office 4-A to inform the public on the do’s and don’ts when traveling, or when leaving their houses and when driving, and be aware on whom they should call whenever they need assistance, said Nartatez.
The police are also urging the public to be vigilant and report to authorities any suspicious persons, activities, and unusual occurrences in public or any untoward incidents and crime situations, Nartatez said.