By Ric Sapnu/PNA
CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Some 6,500 police personnel were deployed in different areas in Central Luzon to ensure peace and order during the celebration of the Yuletide season.
Chief Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel, director of the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3), told local media on Thursday that the entire police force of the region continues to be on its toes to address security and public safety during the holidays.
Coronel said he has directed all provincial and city directors from the different police provincial and city police offices to continuously conduct focused operations and sustain the level of alertness and vigilance as enhanced managing police operations are being carried out.
He said that security inspections and police presence were intensified in all bus terminals and places of convergence.
“Stringent anti-criminality information drive is also being carried out in barangays and commercial business areas as one of the pro-active measures to complement the operations,” Coronel said.
The PRO-3 chief noted that as early as Dec. 15, police assistance desks being manned by 1,500 police personnel were put in full force to cover all transport terminals, business and commercial establishments as well as places of worship in the region.
“The move is not only to ensure public safety and order, but also to provide public assistance to missing persons, particularly children and elderly in collaboration with other agencies and volunteer organizations,” he said.
Aside from this, motorist assistance hubs were established with route safety marshals composed of 772 police personnel in major thoroughfares and secondary roads in the region, to operate round the clock until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6.
Coronel added that extensive utilization of force multipliers such as volunteer groups, private security guards and government security forces as partners, to enhance security coverage in the communities, is being undertaken by PRO-3.
“Over-all, some 6,500 police personnel are being deployed together with around 10,400 force multipliers for the duration of the holidays,” he said.
In a bid to prevent the manufacture, distribution, and sale of banned and dangerous firecracker products in the market in time for the New Year’s Eve celebrations, Coronel likewise said that a series of inspections is being conducted by PRO-3, particularly in firecracker stores and warehouses in Bulacan.
He reminded the public to refrain from using prohibited firecrackers to avoid any untoward incident during the celebration of New Year.
