Cops on alert for Yuletide

CEBU, Philippines - After the heightened alert during the All Saints’ Day and the All Souls’ Day, the Cebu Provincial Police Office is now preparing for the coming Yuletide Season as robbery and theft incidents are expected to rise.

CPPO director Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador said that the more people in metro areas the more crimes are expected to increase. He assured that metro areas will be provided with police visibility.

“Andam ang kapulisan pero expected nga kung dunay daghang tawo there is an increase in crime,” he said.

He added that areas from Consolacion to Danao City in the north and Talisay City towards Carcar City in the south will be provided with enough personnel.

“The more people see policemen it hinders criminals from doing crimes,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Police Office is monitoring criminal elements in Cebu City as Christmas approaches.

Cebu City Police Intelligence Branch head Chief Insp. Romeo Santander said yesterday that they believe the group is planning to strike big establishments in the city.

Based on their intelligence monitoring, the said group may victimize banks and financial institutions. This may be because of the expected rise in business as the holiday approaches.

Santander declined to reveal any more details.

“Di pa nato pwede i-disclose ilang name while we are monitoring their actions and we always monitor their activities aron di sila maka biktima,” he said. 

The police are planning to meet with banks, financial institutions and big establishment’s administrations to further discuss security measures.

Santander said that if the public will not cooperate with them, the business sector will be affected.

“We are studying other security measures hilabi na kay nagsing-abot na ang December ug Sinulog sunod tuig,” he said.

Police Regional Office-7 chief of staff Sr. Supt. Josephus Angan said they reminded their men throughout the region to prepare for the coming months where crimes are expected to rise.

“We have directed all our city and provincial directors to prepare kay panahon nasab ni nga aduna nasab kwarta ang mga tawo,” he said.

Angan said that PRO-7 director Marcelo Garbo Jr. directed them to intensify their strict implementation of the Police Integrated Patrolling System which they consider the answer to crime.

To realize Garbo’s plans for PIPS, PRO-7 recently turned over 12 police patrol jeeps to various police detachments throughout Central Visayas.

CCPO has their Motorcycle Riding Unit or Motor Cops as part of their PIPS program. (FREEMAN)