All Asean summit venues declared ‘no gun zones’

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Calderon has declared all venues of the 12th ASEAN Summit in Cebu as "No Gun Zones."

Calderon suspended the gun-carrying privileges of licensed firearms holders in most areas in Cebu where the summit would take place.

"All venues of the 12th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit in Metro Cebu would be declared as No Gun Zones during the duration of the 9-day international conference. It’s all systems go," Calderon said in a statement.

Calderon was in Cebu City yesterday to personally assess the security measures laid down by Task Force ASEAN Summit during the final week of preparations for the international event in December.

"So far so good. We are ahead of schedule in implementing our security preparations. All personnel and resources are in place," Calderon said.

He said a sizable contingent of police personnel has been committed for the security operations. The PNP will provide security to delegates from 10 ASEAN member states and at least seven other observer nations attending the conference.

Elements of the Presidential Security Group will provide close-in security to heads of delegations while the AFP Central Command under Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna has already formed Task Force Alalay that will serve as support group to Task Force ASEAN Summit and the Task Group Cebu under Chief Superintendent Silverio Alarcio.

The PNP will also provide security in all places of engagement, particularly at the plenary sessions and other venues where delegates are scheduled to hold official functions, and in hotel and billeting facilities.

All police personnel recently completed refresher courses on VIP (very important person) security, police interdiction techniques, tactical operations, civil disturbance management, and human rights.

Hundreds of new police patrol units, motorcycle escorts, tactical support vehicles, mobile communication units, and other police equipment were shipped to Cebu for the summit.

Calderon also assessed the security being enforced by the PNP Aviation Security Group (PNP-ASG) and the Maritime Group at the Mactan International Airport and at seaports and waterfront terminals.

Selected airspace in Metro Cebu have also been declared "restricted fly zones" as part of the security measures to protect foreign and local delegates.

Calderon instructed all regional directors in Police Regional Offices that are not directly involved in the ASEAN Summit security to maintain vigilance and to undertake pro-active as well as precautionary measures against possible hostile action of the communist insurgents.

He said intelligence reports showed that the New People’s Army (NPA) and its legal fronts have lined up their own activities to coincide with the summit in a bid to disrupt and embarrass the government and attract international attention.

"The Joint Intelligence Coordinating Committee will continuously conduct monitoring operations on domestic threat groups," Calderon said.

Civil Disturbance Management units will be deployed in strategic locations around the venues and will be ready to address any situation, he added.

To support the PNP are battalions of highly-trained and combat ready military men.

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources said major meetings during the ASEAN summit may be held at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) if much of the structure is completed by Dec. 10.

"We’re confident that by Dec. 10, a big part of the CICC will be ready," one of the sources said.

"But if not, plans are in place to hold the leaders’ summit at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort."

Department of Foreign Affairs—Office of the ASEAN Affairs Assistant Secretary Luis Cruz earlier said that at least two major meetings will be held at the Shangri-La resort.

Cruz said there are over 90 meetings in eight days that need to be spread out in different venues even if the CICC is completed. — Pia Lee- Brago, Jaime Laude and Aurea Calica