ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) deployed close to 2,000 policemen as security has been tightened in all places of worship and sites of religious activities during the Holy Week observance.
Senior Insp. Shelamie Chang, ZCPO information officer, on Thursday told the Philippine News Agency that 1,500 of the 1,900 policemen were ZCPO personnel while the remaining 400 come from the Philippine Public Safety College.
Chang said they were deployed since Wednesday at the Climaco Freedom Park on Mount Abong-Abong in Barangay Pasonanca; Monte Santo Park in Barangay Lumayang; and in churches on the island barangays.
The police forces are backed by troops from the Task Force Zamboanga, the maneuver force of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) in this city.
The task force maintains two battalion of troops–one Army and one Marines–that secure the outskirts of this city.
Thousands of devotees converge on Mount Abong-Abong and on Monte Santo for the way of the cross.
Thousands of devotees will also stay overnight on Maundy Thursday and until Good Friday in the two places.
Chang said the intelligence community has been working since last week monitoring if there is any movement of lawless elements in this city.
“The threat is always there, but its not imminent,” she said giving assurance “we are prepared for it.”
She said the “No ID, No Entry” policy has been continuously and strictly implemented in roads leading to this city.
The policy has been in force since last year when President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Mindanao under Martial Law.
Meanwhile, Chang said pilgrims will not be allowed to stay overnight at the station of the cross.
“This is to give others the chance to trek up the hill (for their traditional penitence). Otherwise, if we allow them to stay overnight (up the hill), others cannot anymore go up due to limited space,” she added. (PNA)
