Police ready for Holy Week Task Force Semana Santa to start guarding ports, terminals April 18

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) officer-in-charge Patrocinio Comendador will reactivate the task force that will secure towns during the Lenten season.

Task Force “Igmat”, which was molded by former CPPO director Carmelo Valmoria, will be reactivated but renamed into Task Force Semana Santa.

It consists of several teams from the CPPO headquarters and tasked to maintain peace and order during the Lenten season.

The teams will be deployed in different ports and terminals starting April 18.

Bantayan island, which will celebrate its annual fiesta, as well as Minglanilla, the “Sugat Capital” in Cebu, are among those to be provided with tight security, said Comendador.

“We have to and anticipate the worst scenario,” he said.

Superintendent Teofilo Siclot, CPPO deputy provincial director for operations, will supervise the task force.

The CPPO plans to tap personnel from the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office who have the expertise over robbery and hold up incidents while K-9 dogs will be deployed to the San Remigio wharf.

Preparations for the deployment of the teams will start on April 15.

Comendador is not declaring an alert level just as yet, but is monitoring the situation in the towns. – (FREEMAN)