GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Around 500 police personnel have been deployed in various public places here in connection with the observance of the Holy Week and other activities related to the ongoing summer break.
Maj. Jovenson Bayona, chief of the city police’s operations branch, said Tuesday they have maximized the deployment of their personnel to ensure peaceful and secure Lenten celebration in the area.
Bayona said they assigned personnel from the city’s eight police stations to establish assistance desks and secure transport terminals, city port and airport, churches, shopping malls, beaches and other places of convergence.
He said they are being augmented by teams assigned at the city police headquarters, which includes the city mobile force company, he said.
Bayona said they deployed their patrol teams to conduct regular roving activities in residential areas, especially in housing villages or subdivisions.
“We also requested augmentation from the regional headquarters (Police Regional Office-12) so we can properly cover all vital security assignments,” he said in an interview with reporters.
The official reminded residents attending Holy Week-related activities and family gatherings to be more cautious by properly securing their houses before leaving and avoid posting their whereabouts on social media.
If possible, he said homeowners should install alarm systems or hire caretakers if they leave their houses for longer periods.
“Some people usually focus more on these celebrations and tend to forget the security precautions, giving criminals the chance to make their moves,” he said.
In terms of the overall security, Bayona said they have not monitored any direct threat for the Holy Week observance but added that they are always preparing for possible worst-case scenarios.
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