There will be no vacation leaves available for Central Visayas policemen throughout the Christmas season, except those who have ailment and need rest, Chief Supt. Ronald Roderos, director of the Police Regional Office-7 said yesterday.
Roderos, in a talk with reporters in his house at PC Hills in barangay Lahug, said that from December 15 to end of this year, no policeman will be granted leave of absence so that there will be enough policemen to protect the public during the holidays.
Roderos added that starting December 22, PRO-7 will raise the alert level to red alert status and deploy 95 percent of the total police strength in the region to the streets.
Some policemen, to be called “Santa Cops” will be wearing Santa Claus hats and be detailed to crowded places in malls, major thoroughfares, and churches.
The Oplan Iwas Paputok will be re-activated also to lessen casualties due to indiscriminate firing of licensed and unlicensed firearms during the Christmas revelry. Roderos said he will coordinate with the Firearms, Explosives and Security Agency/Guards Supervisory Section-7, and the Department of Health for the strict enforcement of the guidelines on the use of firecrackers.
Roderos said that the problem of proliferation of firecrackers in Lapu-Lapu City streets has been addressed already, adding that firecracker makers and wholesalers have been checked for licenses.
There are however unlicensed third parties in the trade who sells firecrackers so Roderos ordered City Police head, Sr. Supt. Louie Oppus, to hold a dialogue with firecracker factory owners, licensed wholesalers and retailers, and government agencies to make sure that no firecrackers will go to the hands of unlicensed vendors.
Another security concern that Roderos asked city and provincial directors to attend to are those in bus terminals, particularly the North Bus Terminal, which he said has no good system for a more convenient travel of people going to their hometowns.
Roderos said that the last time he visited the terminal, during the All Souls’ and All Saints’ Days, he saw passengers queuing and loitering dangerously around the place in apparent confusion on what bus to take for their trip.
Roderos urged Mandaue City Police director, Sr.Supt. Rodel Calungsod to meet the terminal manager for the installation of bigger signages for bus routes to guide the passengers.
Police action centers, consisting of policemen, tanods, and members of the Parish Security Group and the Barangay Intelligence Network, will be set up also during the traditional Misa de Gallo celebration, Roderos said, as he reminded the churchgoers to have someone watch their houses from burglars while they are away.
Chief Inspector Edwin Ermac, of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, said during the Talakayan Sa Isyung Polis (TSIP) Wednesday that their Christmas season statistics showed that houses become vulnerable and convenient targets of thieves. — Edwin Ian Melecio/RAE