APEC delegates should always wear IDs, exec says

CEBU, Philippines – An official in Lapu-Lapu City wants delegates of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings here to strictly wear their identification cards at all times, especially when touring around the city.

Jose Dungog, president of the Association of the Barangay Councils, yesterday said the delegates who wish to visit several areas in the city should wear IDs so that they will be easily identified by the security personnel.

"It turns out that dunay mga delegates nga naabot sa Bohol, simbako og kung maunsa sila didto," Dungog said.

It was recently reported by the Police Regional Office-7 that at least three low-level delegates of the ongoing APEC meetings went to Loboc, Bohol for a river cruise and were able to go past the security coverage of the police.

PRO-7 director Chief Superintendent Prudencio Tom Bañas said delegates should inform the police of their travel plans because they cannot provide security escort to them while they are out of Cebu.

Dungog said the only indicators they know are the private vans used for the APEC delegates.

Possible areas in the city delegates may visit, he added, are the tourism barangays of Subabasbas, Marigondon, Agus, Maribago, Mactan and Punta Engaño because most beaches and resorts are found in these areas.

Aside from the 400 police personnel deployed in Lapu-Lapu City, Dungog said, force multipliers such as task force group and tanods in every barangay were also sent out for additional security coverage.

"Tanods are always on call, buntag, hapon, gabii. Round the clock man na sila," Dungog said.

Dungog assured that the force multipliers do not have any problem about food since some of them bring food with them while others just go home to eat.