MANILA, Philippines — Police have begun securing 82 places of worship and commercial areas in southern Metro Manila for the Holy Week.
Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft, Southern Police District (SPD) director, said he has deployed at least 861 police officers of whom 323 will man places of religious gatherings.
The areas under the jurisdiction of the SPD are the cities of Pasay, Makati, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and Taguig and the municipality of Pateros.
Earlier, the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) said over 4,600 police will be deployed in Metro Manila to secure the Holy Week commemoration, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.
There are a total of 356 places of worship in the National Capital Region where the Catholic faithful are expected to converge this week.
For the southern part of Metro Manila, Kraft said a total of 141 police officers will secure major thoroughfares, while 110 are assigned to transportation hubs.
The 46 commercial areas in the southern metropolis will be secured by 109 police personnel.
The number does not include the 86 cops in malls and other places of convergence.
Another 46 police officers will man one-stop-shop help desks in strategic areas.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo, NCRPO director, inspected bus terminals and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) yesterday.
Handing out water bottles to passengers, Okubo inspected the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), several bus terminals and the NAIA Terminal 3.
“We find the situation normal and calm as of this hour,” Okubo told reporters, but noted a buildup of passengers in the Pasay bus terminals.
He reminded passengers to be wary of their surroundings and keep safe during their trips home for the Lenten break. – Marc Jayson Cayabyab