CPPO readies Holy Week security

CEBU, Philippines — Checkpoints will serve as police assistance kiosks as part of the Cebu Provincial Police Office’s security preparations for the Holy Week.

CPPO Director Colonel Aladdin Collado has cascaded his directives to the different station chiefs for the implementation of the so-called “Lakbay-Alalay,” in which regular checkpoint areas in the streets will be also converted to police assistance centers.

As for security in the different parishes and churches, Collado said they will be in talks with parish priests to ensure that protocols will still be observed.

“We will have a dialogue doon sa mga local priests natin and other Christian communities in the observance of the Lenten season. We will coordinate with them kasi meron pa rin tayong mga protocols na dapat sundin natin,” he said.

Collado said they will find a balance between their goal of maintaining public safety and the implementation of minimum health standards.

Police are expected to strictly monitor the situation in areas of convergence during the observance of Holy Week, particularly at churches and other usual destinations.

At the moment, CPPO is awaiting Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s guidelines for the public’s observance of the Holy Week.

The provincial police have also been coordinating with the Philippine Coast Guard in case there will be a need to augment personnel at sea ports and terminals.

Collado likewise directed his personnel to conduct patrols in residential areas.

“Paiigtingin natin ang mga security ng mga taong pupunta doon sa mga lugar nila. Unang una, yung iiwanan nila yung mga bahay nila, so I directed my personnel na mag-patrol sa nga bahay-bahay, lalo na yung malalaking subdivisions,” said Collado.

Police are also not discounting the possibility that illegal gamblers would take advantage of the Lenten season to do illegal cockfights or tigbakays.

To this end, Collado said the CPPO has been regularly conducting operations against tigbakay, especially during weekends. — JMD (FREEMAN)