Police, military on high alert vs possible security threats

The Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines remain on high alert to confront any possible threat to national security that may arise from the terror attacks in Mumbai, India and the mounting political tension in Bangkok, Thailand.

“I had coffee with National Capital Region Command (NCRCOM) commander Maj. Gen. Artemio Arugay yesterday at Camp Aguinaldo to compare notes on the possible security scenarios that might come up in the days ahead,” said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Leopoldo Bataoil.

“So far we are peaceful here in Metro Manila. Nevertheless we continue to be prepared for any contingency,” Bataoil said, adding that troops have been deployed in strategic areas such as vital installations since yesterday.

He described as a minor event the presence of about a hundred rallyists yesterday who tried to march towards Camp Crame to commemorate the first anniversary of the Peninsula Manila incident wherein Sen. Antonio Trillanes and his supporters walked out of a hearing and down the stretch of Makati Avenue, then entered the hotel and called for the resignation of President Arroyo.

The rallyists, composed mainly of members of the Nov. 29 movement and joined by various cause-oriented and religious groups, were eventually stopped by anti-riot policemen along the Kamuning-EDSA road.

“They agreed to disperse upon reaching the EDSA-Kamuning road. They were stopped by elements of the Central Police District-Station 10 led by Senior Superintendent Ferdinand Ampil,” Bataoil said.

Bataoil said some rallyists who assembled at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City and who were led by Fr. Robert Reyes, FPJ Movement head Iluciano Delia, lawyer JV Bautista of Sanlakas, former Nueva Ecija mayor Ed Bacungan, lawyer Argee Guevarra and lawyer Luke Espiritu of the Nov. 29 Movement, were arrested and taken in for police investigation.

Bataoil added that they are again expecting anti-government rallies in today’s celebration of Bonifacio Day.

Bataoil said their plan of action is part of the PNP’s readiness to upgrade and to address four areas of concern, including heightened intelligence operations to counter threat of terrorism, civil disturbance operations to address sporadic mass actions, anti-crime operations to negate incidents of bank robberies and holdups and incident management where systematic and coordinated response is undertaken.