Cops ready with plans to secure Misa de Gallo

CEBU, Philippines - Policemen will be dispersed to different churches in Cebu City starting Monday to secure Cebuanos who will be attending the Misa de Gallo.

At least 70 percent of the Cebu City Police Office force will be deployed to the churches and in the streets of the city, said Supt. Emily Santos, chief of the Operations Branch.

Santos said at least four policemen will be assigned to every church and an additional number to major churches.

Cebu City and the rest of Central Visayas will also be on red alert status starting Monday so all policemen have to be on duty.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, chief of CCPO’s City Intelligence Branch, said they will put up Police Assistance Centers at each church as he encouraged the public to report any suspicious activity in or outside of the religious building.

Santander again reminded Cebuanos to properly secure their houses before attending Mass, or, as much as possible, not leave their houses unattended as they make tempting targets to burglary gangs.

The CIB chief also cautioned people not to wear expensive jewelry or bring huge amounts of cash with them so as not to entice snatchers and pickpockets.

“Dili g’yud mi magduhaduha sa paggukod sa mga criminal na mupahimos niining panahona. Dakpon g’yud nato sila,” said Santander.

The churches in Cebu include the Basilica del Sto. Niño, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Sto. Rosario Parish, the Alliance of Two Hearts Parish, Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Carmelite Monastery, and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish, Redemptorist Church, Sacred Heart Parish, Saint Joseph Patriarch Parish, San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish, St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish and the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish.

Meanwhile, the Cebu Provincial Police Office is also gearing up to implement their own security plans for the Misa de Gallo.

All 50 police stations province-wide have plotted their security schemes and ready for implementation, said Provincial Intelligence Branch chief, Supt. Rodolfo Albotra.

Police will be putting up public assistance centers in all churches for an immediate response to the public’s needs. They will also intensify police visibility and check point operations.

He added that they will also look into various religious activities.

CPPO will mainly focus on churches located in Metro Cebu areas and in component cities like Bogo, Toledo, Naga, Carcar, Talisay and Danao due to the influx of churchgoers especially during first day of the Misa de Gallo.

Traffic enforcers will also be manning the traffic in churches located along the national highway to avoid traffic congestion.

“Stations can tap their force multipliers as additional manpower,” Albotra said.

Albotra said a weekly case conference with all intelligence officers in the entire province will also be conducted to check on new and current crimes.

“With regards to the intelligence matters, we continue our monitoring and constant dissemination of information to all stations for possible arrival of robbery groups,” Albotra said.  —/BRP (FREEMAN)