Metro police ready for school opening

At least 6,000 policemen would be deployed to secure students in 500 schools in Metro Manila during the opening of classes on June 5.

Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol met with his five police district directors yesterday to draft security preparations to prevent criminals from preying on new students, especially those carrying large amount of cash intended for enrollment.

"I want the peace and order situation in Metro Manila to be peaceful and conducive to students," said Querol. "The students should not be distracted by the common criminals."

Querol said the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) would implement extra security arrangement on the three crime "hot spots" in the metropolis namely the University-Belt area, Taft and Vito Cruz streets and Intramuros in Manila.

The Manila Police District (MPD) was tasked to secure the three areas, tagged as haven of pickpockets, salisi and tutok-kalawit gangs and cellphone snatchers.

Querol pointed out that the opening of classes last year was orderly but there were minor hitches like the lack of pedestrian signages and street lights, and the presence of amusement centers and vendors in the vicinity of schools.

Querol said the NCRPO would address these concerns this year by coordinating with the local government units (LGUs), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and school authorities. "We would ask the LGUs not to issue permits to vendors and amusement centers operating in the vicinity of schools and the DPWH to put up signages, pedestrian lanes and street lights near schools to make the school opening peaceful and orderly," he said.

Querol said he would deploy motorcycle-riding policemen to patrol the vicinity of schools, especially in the Binondo district, to neutralize the threat of kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) gangs. "We will commit our motorcycle units for speedy response against fleeing robbers and kidnappers," he said, noting that major crimes in Metro Manila in the past few days are being perpetrated by motorcycle-riding suspects.

The NCPRO would also coordinate with bank security officials to protect students withdrawing cash from automated teller machines (ATMs) from being victimized by criminals.

Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., NCRPO intelligence chief, said they would also ask school authorities to lecture students on tips to spot criminals and ways to avoid being victimized by them. Rojas appealed to students not to display their cellphones so they would not become victims of crimes.