Cops commended for APEC security

CEBU, Philippines - The chief of the Philippine National Police commended the Police Regional Office-7 and other agencies involved in keeping peace and order during the first round of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Cebu.

The event here had “zero casualty” and no serious incident occurred.

Police Director-General Ricardo Marquez said the Site Task Group-Cebu for APEC 2015 was very efficient in planning and implementing their plans for the event.

“The performance of the agencies involved was very commendable,” he said.

In fact, Marquez visited the Police Regional Office-7 last Thursday and awarded the commanders of the subgroups of the Site Task Group for APEC and their members with the PNP Efficiency Medal or the Medalya ng Kasanayan.

Chief Supt. Prudencio Tom Bañas, director of the PRO-7, was also awarded with the Medalya ng Pambihirang Paglilingkod (Interim) for fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of being the commander of the Site Task Group-Cebu, National Joint Task Force “APEC 2015.”

All the commanders were ordered to award their members from different police units who were in detailed for the security in the APEC summit.

“When there is really focus and dedication, crimes will really be prevented especially if policemen are really deployed in the streets,” Marquez said.

Marquez also thanked the other agencies who were helped the PNP maintain peace and order in Metro Cebu.

He said they are now preparing for the next month’s APEC activity, which would still be held here.

From the start of the APEC summit, with cops in the streets, the crime rate in the cities has gone down to six percent.

Now that the first batch of APEC meetings in Cebu is over and even as policemen are given the chance to rest, Marquez said this does not mean security has loosened as they are now cascading “Oplan Lambat Sibat,” an anti-crime strategy from the National Capital Region to the regions in other provinces.

“We are optimistic na ang pagbaba ng crimes sa Cebu ay magpapatuloy,” he said.

Meanwhile, the PRO-7 director, Bañas, said earlier their experience during the APEC meetings could serve as part of their training for future big events the region will host like the International Eucharistic Congress, which will be held in Cebu City next year.

“Know that our police force is up to the challenge,” Bañas said. — Ma. Fatima R. Secuya/JMO (FREEMAN)