5,000 cops, responders to secure ASEAN meetings

CEBU, Philippines - At least 5,000 personnel of the Police Regional Office-7, the Bureau of Fire and Protection -7, and other emergency responders will be deployed for the Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit ministerial meetings next week.

PRO-7 Chief Superintendent Noli Taliño said they have initially deployed police to secure the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, while their tabletop exercise with local government units and their police chiefs is ongoing.

But the full deployment of police is scheduled for Sunday after their send-off ceremony tomorrow morning, Taliño said.

Around 3,000 police will be mobilized and their leave applications were canceled after PRO-7 placed Central Visayas on a full-alert status.

“Probably, more than 4,000 ma-dedeploy natin baka abutan pa ng 5,000 because we also include here the BFP, then ating (mga) emergency preparedness and respond teams at civilian agencies kasama dito,” he said.

The ASEAN Summit is slated for April 3 to 22. The ministerial meetings in Cebu will take place on April 3 to April 7, while the meetings in Bohol will be on April 18 to 22.

Taliño said the police securing the international event will be provided with billeting areas in selected schools while the medical responders and BFP will have their staging areas.

 PRO-7 has identified six staging areas—four in Central Cebu and two in Mactan area.

The shutting down of cell phone signals, on the other hand, is yet to be decided.

“Wala pa naman until this time. Hindi pa tayo nakakapag-decide dyan kung we’ll have it shut down or random ang gagawin natin dyan. Pero so far wala pa namang decision tungkol dyan,” Taliño said.

Police did not receive any specific threat but Taliño said contingency plans are being laid down.

“Contingency plans are considered (by police), in case of bombing, in case of earthquake and typhoon. Lahat ito pinaghandaan ng ating mga task groups,” Taliño said. (FREEMAN)