MANILA, Philippines — Expecting a large number of travelers due to the long break for Holy Week, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said it is necessary to beef up police presence to ensure the safety of vacationers.
Azurin said they will deploy around 77,891 police officers on the ground, 9,585 of whom will secure Metro Manila.
“We call on the public to cooperate with us and follow the rules and regulations set by the government to deter the occurrence of crime, prevent accidents and avoid unnecessary inconvenience,” he said in a statement.
Azurin said 38,387 officers will man assistance hubs and police assistance desks for enhanced police presence through mobile and foot patrols.
Up to 39,504 lawmen will secure major thoroughfares, transportation hubs, terminals, commercial areas, places of worship and other areas of convergence.
Police will also secure tourist attractions which are expected to be flooded with visitors.
Speaking to reporters PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said they have not monitored any security threat related to the Holy Week commemoration.
“We have not received any credible and serious threat that would require us to raise our alert status,” she said in a mix of Filipino and English.