CEBU, Philippines - The observance of Holy Week was generally peaceful in Cebu City and Cebu Province, this according to the assessment of high-ranking police officials.
Cebu Provincial Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador said that Bantayan Island and the town of Minglanilla were points of interest for Holy Week, but nothing out of the ordinary happened in those areas.
"There were no untoward or violent incidents that occurred and the same is true in other parts of the province," he said in a text message.
Comendador deployed maximum personnel in various towns where local and foreign tourists were most heavily expected a few days before Holy Week.
Minglanilla town in southern Cebu, San Remigio town as well as Bantayan Island in northern Cebu are places prioritized in the deployment of personnel.
A total of 130 personnel from the provincial headquarters were deployed to the said areas.
Comendador said that the Sugat sa Kabanhawan Festival was secured well utilizing some personnel from neighboring towns.
"We have massive deployment of personnel and simultaneous checkpoint operations," Comendador said.
He added that the common problem they encountered before were pickpockets. However none were allegedly reported this year.
Cebu City Police Office director Mariano Natu-el Jr. also assessed that Cebu City was peaceful during the same days.
"With regards to the Holy Week especially Thursday and Friday were generally peaceful," Natu-el said in a phone interview.
Natu-el added that there was no other incident reported except for the arrest of suspected thief Gerlick Polo, 28, of Baybay, Leyte, who was apprehended for allegedly stealing from the donation box at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral last Friday.
A security guard caught him in the act fishing out three P20 bills from the donation box.
Polo is now detained and will be facing a theft case.
Natu-el said all churches in the city were also manned by enough personnel to secure the churchgoers.
"Tanan simbahan dunay police especially during Bisita Iglesia," Natu-el said. (FREEMAN)