MANILA, Philippines - The government’s war on illegal drugs won’t take a break, even on All Souls’ Day.
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said over the weekend police authorities would go on spooking people involved in illegal drugs this long weekend, busting them even in cemeteries.
“We will arrest them if we see them do illegal activities, especially illegal drugs,” NCRPO director Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde told The STAR.
But Albayalde said it might not be as bloody, as anti-drug operatives were not among those deployed in cemeteries, even if the NCRPO is on full alert on illegal drug activities.
Albayalde said more than 7,740 police and some augmentation teams from non-government organizations were deployed to ensure peace and order in Metro Manila’s 99 cemeteries.
At the public North Cemetery alone, more than 500 police, he said, would be watching over two million people expected to flock there for the tradition.
He said such number of police force in the North Cemetery might be enough, considering hundreds of augmentations from other groups.
According to Albayalde, the NCRPO is 100-percent ready for the observance of the All Souls’ Day.
He also said the police has not received any information or threat to disrupt the peaceful observation of the Filipino tradition.
But still, the NCRPO is in full alert on crime just to maintain peace and order in the cemeteries.
Deluge of commuters
Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has approved more than 1,700 special permits to public utility vehicles to serve the anticipated deluge of commuters observing All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day this long weekend.
The special permits approved for the holiday totaled 1,732 units for 625 operators.
The figure is almost double those granted in previous holidays, said Joel Bolano, LTFRB focal person to IACT.
Bolano said the number of issued special permits is sufficient for the anticipated volume of commuters traveling from cities to provinces nationwide.
The big increase in the special permit application and approval was due to the lifting of the 25-percent cap on authorized units per operator, as per Board Resolution No. 14 this year.
LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra said earlier this is to give bus operators the flexibility to address demand in particular routes.
Around 4,600 city buses and 8,000 provincial buses cater to Metro Manila commuters alone.
The LTFRB also ordered earlier the speeding up of the issuance of special permits for the long holiday weekend.
The LTFRB has denied applications for special permits of 57 units of 22 operators, as the applicants lacked documents or their units did not conform to model specifications for public safety.
The special permits are valid from Oct. 29 to Nov. 3, 2016.
Bolano said the public should expect heavy road traffic, even at bus terminals, by Nov. 2 and 3, when holiday observers are expected to go back home. – With Romina Cabrera