Metro cops to secure routes for INC centennial

MANILA, Philippines - The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will secure routes and billeting areas of Iglesia ni Cristo members when the religious group celebrates its centennial anniversary in Bulacan on July 27, officials said yesterday.

The exodus of INC members from Mindanao, Visayas and Bicol provinces, especially those bringing along their vehicles, is expected days before the celebration and NCRPO chief Director Carmelo Valmoria said they are “prepared for any eventuality.”

“The NCRPO’s job will be more on the traffic situation especially for those INC members coming from the Visayas, Mindanao and Southern Luzon bringing along their vehicles,” Valmoria said in an interview. “But of course, we will also be securing not only the routes but also the billeting areas of INC members who are staying in Metro Manila prior to the event.”

So far, Deputy Director General Felipe Rojas Jr., officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said they monitored no groups out to sabotage the event.

At least 2,000 policemen will be deployed to the INC arena in Bocaue, Bulacan where the centennial celebrations will  be held, he said.

“We will take care of the traffic situation, parking and crowd control at the arena,” said Rojas in an interview.

Parking space on NLEX

As agreed upon in several meetings with the INC officials, Rojas said the religious group will have one lane of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) as parking space.

According to Rojas, the PNP would also secure seaports and airports and provide assistance to INC delegates.

He said millions of INC members from all over the country are expected to attend the event, which took the PNP and INC officials months in security preparations.

 “We expect the INC members to troop to their arena two to three days before the event. We will move in a day before their arrival,” Rojas said.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), on the other hand, said it will deploy 1,800 rescue personnel and traffic enforcers for the event. – With Perseus Echeminada