Police heightens level of alert

CEBU, Philippines - The Police Regional Office (PRO) – 7 assures a peaceful and orderly Lenten and summer season amidst reports of rebel activities in the region in the past weeks.

This is according to PRO-7 chief of staff Orlando Ualat during yesterday’s Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) at the regional police headquarters.

“I will assure the public that your police here in Central Visayas are doing their best. We are also coordinating with the security preparations that our counterparts (Armed Forces of the Philippines) are doing,” Ualat said in response to recent reports of threats from the National People’s Army (NPA) in the region.

In fact, according to him, the Regional Intelligence Division has not monitored any forms of threats from any group.

Earlier, the Central Command reported early this month that they recovered evidence that NPA plans to “retake” Cebu and Bohol. Government troops are also monitoring high school students in some northern town of the Cebu Province whom they believe are recruited by the militant League of Filipino Students.

The Communist Party of the Philippines has also announced that there would be no Lenten truce this year between the AFP. Camp Crame has raised the alert status of the entire Philippine National Police to heightened alert yesterday, earlier than expected, Ualat said.

In this regard, Ualat said PRO-7 will send additional 1,936 men in areas of concern throughout the region to maintain peace and order.   

For travelers, PRO-7 will also be putting up Public Assistance Centers (PAC) in strategic areas in the region such as highways, terminals, seaports, and among others.

Sr. Supt. Mariano Natu-el, Regional Investigation and Detective Management Branch chief, assures that based on their experience, crimes normally decreases during the Lenten season due to their intensified police visibility.

He, however, accepts the fact that crimes against property are more prevalent compared to crimes against persons during these days.  

To prevent such occurrence of crimes, all city and provincial officers have devised their own plan on how to maintain peace and order in their respective areas of responsibility.

PAC will serve as a police help desk and an all-around assistance center for any traveler and the public in general. –(FREEMAN)