Makati heightens security

MANILA, Philippines - Makati Mayor Junjun Binay asked yesterday President Aquino to deploy more policemen and military in Makati following a powerful explosion inside a bus near the corner of EDSA and Buendia Avenue in the city the other day.

Binay said military troops and the Special Action Force of the Philippine Natio-nal Police (SAF-PNP) should augment the present numbers of policemen in Makati to secure the country’s Central Business District.

He said the city government will install 44 additional closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) within the year to help curb criminalities in the city.

Binay said the deployment of additional policemen and military will contribute greatly in further ensuring peace and order in the city.

“It will also send the message to both residents and foreign investors that Makati is a secure place for business,” he said, even as he declared tomorrow as a day of mourning in Makati.

He also assured the members of the Makati Business Development Council (MBDC) that peace will prevail in city.

Meanwhile, lawmakers urged yesterday the PNP and other law enforcement agencies to train workers and employees in the private transport sector on security procedures to enable them to detect and prevent terror attacks and criminal activities.

Pangasinan Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil, who was formerly head of the PNP’s National Capital Region Police Office, said maintaining security cannot be left alone to the government and everyone must help in preventing crime and terrorism.

“Drivers and conductors of public utility vehicles, flight attendants, stevedores, seamen, railway workers, train workers, they all have the capability to help prevent or stop crime and terror attacks, and therefore, lives,” Bataoil told The STAR.

“We must expand their awareness, especially on making them security conscious,” he said.

He said the PNP’s Civil Security Unit could conduct the trainings while security guards in establishments must be given more frequent refresher courses.

Ang Kasangga party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco urged the intelligence authorities “to revive or strengthen linkages with their counterparts from allied countries to enable the Philippines to anticipate possible attacks from terror groups.”

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, on the other hand, suggested that local governments add to the responsibilities of their respective traffic enforcers and barangay workers detecting possible attacks and thus give then additional security training for the purpose.

“They (traffic enforcers) can be the additional eyes and ears on the ground and be of great help because they are also deployed in possible targets. So they will greatly boost security since our PNP and main law enforcement agencies lack manpower and thus cannot be everywhere,” Castelo said. – Paolo Romero