Cops extra-vigilant vs lawless elements

To prevent lawless elements from taking advantage of the observance of the Holy Week, police have been ordered to strictly implement security measures to allow the people a peaceful observance of the "Semana Santa" or Holy Week from March 20 to 27.

In a memorandum issued to all five police districts in the metropolis, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Avelino Razon Jr. ordered the implementation of the police’s three-tiered defense system aimed at neutralizing plans by criminals to foment trouble and chaos.

The defense system includes the intensification of intelligence gathering efforts, information sharing and intelligence exchange with other intelligence agencies and counterparts from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Razon directed all station commanders in the metropolis to ensure that their units are extra vigilant, to include patrol of all critical infrastructures, vital installations, economic key points and other areas with high concentration of people.

Police were also instructed to intensify checkpoint operations, containment ring system and other operations to deter any group from conducting any violent acts during the period.

The Holy Week officially starts today, Palm Sunday, and ends on Easter Sunday, March 27, traditionally a long summer holiday for the workers. City folks usually troop to provinces and resorts to observe the Holy Week, leaving their homes and businesses in the metropolis.

This developed even as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao said the Abu Sayyaf threat to bomb Catholic churches in Metro Manila on Holy Week "is very serious" as he ordered the police to intensify security efforts.

Security forces are now in the hunt for seven people, who, according to intelligence reports are planning revenge attacks in key cities this Holy Week in retaliation for the deaths of Abu Sayyaf detainees in a foiled jailbreak in Bicutan, Taguig last Monday.

Lomibao had met with Metro Manila leaders of Muslim groups to solicit cooperation from their ranks to prevent terror attacks. He also ordered preventive patrols in strategic areas and infrastructures around the country, including the setting up of additional checkpoints.

Razon added "Oplan Semana Santa" and "Oplan Summer Vacation" had been put in place as counter-measures against terrorist threats.

The police station commanders had also been ordered to conduct daily consultations with church administrators, barangay tanods and volunteer groups in their areas of responsibility, according to Razon. Muslim leaders also vowed to expose suspected terrorist in their midst.

At the same time, Razon laid out the same security preparations for the forthcoming 36th anniversary of the New People’s Army on March 29.

The security preparations are meant to prevent local communist sympathizers from staging attacks or raids of police stations, ambuscades, liquidation and other activities which the NPA usually resorts to in marking their founding anniversary.