CEBU, Philippines - The PNP will be on full alert starting tomorrow January 6 while a special gun ban for Cebu City will be implemented due to the Sinulog festivities.
Police Regional Office-7 deputy regional director for operations Louie Oppus said that they are sending personnel from the Regional Public Safety Battalion to help the Cebu City Police Office with their operations.
“We will be asking also the chief of police of Negros and Bohol to secure exit points since Cebu City is a big city that attracts lots of tourists di lang ta mokompiyansa,” Oppus said.
Cebu City Police Office director Melvin Ramon Buenafe already organized Security Task Force Sinulog 2011 which consists of several sub-task groups that will secure the venue, the traffic and road security as well as VIP security.
He said that colleges and universities will also field students for the crowd control while personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines will also join the operation.
The Special Weapons and Tactics team, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 and the Department of Health will also help.
Buenafe said that he will also deploy spotters who will take care of suspicious persons during the Sinulog festivities.
He said that since the Sinulog is tagged as an international event a special gun ban for Cebu City will formally start on January 6 until the end of the event.
“We will temporarily suspend the permit to carry firearms outside the residence for safety purposes,” said Buenafe.
Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Erson Digal will also send personnel from the Provincial Mobile Group, the Special Reaction Unit and the Provincial Public Safety Battalion to CCPO.
Digal said that he already directed all chief of police in the entire province to conduct checkpoints and police visibility in their area of responsibility.
“This is not only an event for Cebu City but for the entire province,” he said.
Meanwhile, reports reached Cebu from the 2nd Special Forces Battalion in Bohol that five armed men were seen on a boat for Panglao Island.
Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., Commanding Officer of the 2nd Special Forces Battalion in Bohol, said that the information was not yet verified by their personnel.
“It was wrong information that five Abu Sayyaf were bound for Bohol more possibly in Panglao Island,” he said over the phone.
Brawner said that Navy personnel were already deployed together with policemen right after they received information last Monday evening from intelligence personnel in Zamboanga.
However, Brawner said that they are still on alert as a preventive measure if ever the report is verified. (FREEMAN)