PNP warns public: Don’t broadcast travel plans

MANILA, Philippines - Delay posting your selfie photos and do not broadcast your travel plans on social media, the police have advised the public going on vacation this Holy Week.

“Selfies may compromise their location. It would give criminal elements a clue of their whereabouts and an opportunity to prey on them,” Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP Public Information Office director, said during a press briefing yesterday.

“We are not preventing anyone from taking selfies and gathering memories. What we are asking is to delay the uploading of those for their own safety,” he said.

He said police have yet to record specific incidents involving selfies, but such scenario is not impossible. “If you yourself will give your location, it would be to your disadvantage,” he said.

The PNP-Anti-Cyber Crime Group said social media is now among the favorite playing ground of criminal elements.

Baguio City police chief Senior Superintendent Rolando Miranda said risk of burglaries would also be prevented if vacationers will turn off the location services on their social media accounts and other smart phone applications.

Miranda, a veteran investigator from the Anti-Kidnapping Group, said criminals also use social media to look for possible victims, study them through their posts and activities online to determine the best opportunity to do their illegal activities.

“Be careful and be security conscious on posting things in your social media accounts to avoid giving criminals an idea or an opportunity to attack,” he said.

Tips

Those headed for the provinces for the Lenten break were also advised against posting notes that say nobody’s home and to ask their neighbors to look after their homes.

Burglar alarms should likewise be set up in unattended residences even if all the entry points are locked, police said.

Members of the Quezon City Police District led by Chief Superintendent Richard Albano yesterday distributed leaflets regarding these safety tips to passengers at the Araneta Bus Terminal.

“Make sure that all your utilities have been disconnected, particularly electricity, LPG and water before leaving the house. Don’t wear expensive pieces of jewelry and avoid carrying big amount of cash,” Sindac added.

He said the public should also determine first aid centers and police assistance areas to be able to immediately seek help if the need arises.

Heightened alert

Sindac said the entire PNP is on heightened alert status during the Holy Week.

“When the PNP is under heightened alert status, about 90 to 95 percent of the police force remains on duty. Special patrols and ‘force mutipliers’ will also be deployed to conduct patrol operations in subdivisions and residential areas,” he said.

He said policemen could only go on leave for emergency cases, or if their application for leave had been previously approved.

Albano said policemen were deployed in strategic points in the city to look after residences left empty during the Lenten break.

He said village watchmen have also been tapped to conduct patrols in tandem with policemen.

QCPD deputy director for administration Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao said 100 policemen have been deployed for patrol duties to augment the 1,000 policemen from 12 police stations in the city.

Passenger volume

QCPD Station 7 commander Superintendent Ramon Pranada said the volume of passengers leaving Metro Manila peaked on April 12, with more than 9,000 recorded at the Araneta Center Bus Terminal.

Pranada said around 8,000 passengers were recorded at the terminal yesterday.

QCPD deputy director for operations Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana said they expect passenger volume to reach around 9,000 again today.

Aside from uniformed policemen, two K-9 units were deployed at the terminal. – With Artemio Dumlao, Reinir Padua, Evelyn Macairan

Senior Superintendent Timoteo Pacleb, chief of directorial staff of the QCPD, said policemen on bike patrol, motorcycles and those on patrol cars are also roaming the vicinity of the bus terminal.

Sea travel

Meanwhile, close to 700,000 people have traveled via sea and the number is expected to further increase toward the weekend, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

PCG spokesman Cmdr. Armand Balilo said a majority of the passengers were headed to the Visayas and Mindanao.

He said the PCG is expecting a shift in passenger volume today and tomorrow.

“Now that those heading to distant provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao have left, we expect the bulk of passengers would shift to short trips such as inter-island vessels and roll-on roll-off vessels,” Balilo said.

He said the “lull” is expected on Good Friday.

He said travel would pick up again on Easter Sunday, as people head back to their homes in time for the resumption of work on Monday.

Beaches, resorts

The PCG will also monitor beaches and resorts, which are most frequented by vacationers during the Holy Week, Balilo said.

“Beginning Good Friday until Easter Sunday, we would also be focusing our attention on the beaches and resorts to prevent incidents of drowning,” Balilo said.

He said two rubber boats and two aluminum boats would be deployed near the Cultural Center of the Philippines to patrol the area. A special operations group composed of elite divers would also be on standby.

The PCG has also deployed K-9 dogs, safety inspectors and members of the Quick Response Team since Friday. –Artemio Dumlao, Reinir Padua, Evelyn Macairan