3,000 cops to secure Rizal Park

The Western Police District is all set for today’s celebration of the country’s 104th Independence Day rites with the deployment of about 3,000 policemen to keep order and security at the historic Rizal Park.

Of the deployed policemen, 1,000 are assigned with the Manila police. Officers from the WPD will be augmented by 1,000 officers each from Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

In addition, the WPD will also deploy 600 policemen around Malacañang Palace to prevent any untoward events that might be started by militant groups that threaten to stage protest actions today.

According to WPD chief Nicolas Pasinos, the deployed Manila policemen include plainclothes officers, intelligence officers, regular beat patrolmen and elements of the explosive and ordnance division and Special Weapons and Tactics team to be aided by bomb-sniffing dogs of the district’s K-9 unit.

Pasinos also assured that today’s Independence Day celebrations will be peaceful as they have not received any information about possible untoward incidents that would disrupt the celebrations.

According to the WPD-Traffic Enforcement Group, a traffic rerouting plan will take effect at 4 a.m. today until 6 p.m.

Based on the traffic rerouting plan, all vehicles traveling northward along Roxas Boulevard shall turn right upon reaching President Quirino Avenue or to Pedro Gil Street, left Taft Avenue.

All public utility vehicles traveling along A. Mabini street shall turn right to Pedro Gil street or may either go straight and turn right to United Nations Avenue, left Taft Avenue.

Vehicles traveling southward coming from Delpan Bridge shall use A. Soriano Street (formerly Aduana Street), right to Magallanes Drive, right to P. Burgos Street to Taft Avenue to their destination in the south.

Southbound vehicles coming from the MacArthur, Quezon and Jones bridges are advised to take Taft Avenue.

Vehicles coming from Ayala Boulevard will have to either take a left or right turn to Taft Avenue.

Public utility vehicles coming from the Quezon, MacArthur and Jones bridges bound for the South Harbor will have to take, on their return trip, Railroad Street right at 13th Street to A. Soriano Street to Magallanes Drive right at P. Burgos.