Tighter security expected in Cebu again next month

CEBU, Philippines- The Police Regional Office-7 will enforce tighter security in the region for the next round of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Cebu next month as it expects the arrival of highest ranking officials from participating economies.

Unlike the first round of meetings, however, Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, chief of the Regional Directorial Staff in PRO-7, said fewer policemen will be deployed because there will be fewer participants this time around.

The second round of meetings will take place from October 8 – 14, 2015. 

Lawas said around 300 to 700 participants are expected, way fewer than the 3,200 participants during the first round of meetings.

“We might not be deploying many number of personnel compared to August to September meetings but expect that our security preparation will be tighter compared to before because these are ministers,” Lawas said.

Albeit no details yet, Lawas said they received information that President Benigno Aguino III will also be in Cebu to participate in two meetings – the transportation ministerial meeting and the energy ministerial meeting.

These meetings will be held at Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City and at the Shangri-la Mactan Island Resort in Lapu-Lapu City. These venues are reportedly easier to secure.

“Compared sa previous nga there were five identified venues for conference. Now we will have a focused area and this time around, it’s the ministers who will be having the meeting,” Lawas said.

The alert status in the region has been downgraded to normal following the first round of meetings. This will be raised to full alert yet again as the second round of meetings get nearer.

He clarified yet again that this would not mean there are threats that might harm either the delegates or the public at large.

“Alert status is only raised just to have the maximum number of personnel in the police offices to go to the field and to increase our level of alertness. But as far as threat is concerned, we do not have a report of any kind of threat,” Lawas said.  (FREEMAN)