BACOLOD CITY – The Western Visayas Police has intensified security operations for the highlights of the 38th MassKara Festival on Oct. 19-22 by enforcing a gun ban and shutting down cellular network services.
Western Visayas Police director, Chief Superintendent Cesar Binag, said the gun ban for the entire city began midnight of Oct. 17 and will end 11:59 p.m. of October 23.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Bacolod City Police had not yet recorded any violation of the gun ban.
Binag told revelers to avoid bringing back packs, deadly weapons, pointed objects, and other contraband at the three festival sites — the Bacolod public plaza, Lacson Tourism Strip, and Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC).
He further said that the police has requested the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to shut down cellular network services at the festival sites at certain times on October 19-22.
Signal jamming at the BCGC is scheduled from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight on Oct. 19 and 22; at the Bacolod public plaza, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 20-22; and at the Lacson Tourism Strip, from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight on October 20-22.
On Oct. 16, the Western Visayas Police, through Task Force MassKara, deployed 4,365 policemen, soldiers, and volunteers to secure the sites of the festival highlights.
President Rodrigo Duterte will be the guest of honor during the final day on October 22.
Of the 4,365 security forces, both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) deployed a total of 1,481 personnel. The remaining 2,884 are personnel from other law enforcement agencies and volunteers from various anti-crime groups in Bacolod.
Also beefing up the festival security are teams from the Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and the Emergency Response Team of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
An Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from the PNP headquarters was also be dispatched in Bacolod. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
