7,700 cops to secure ADB meeting

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday deployed around 7,700 police officers to secure the 51st Asian Development Bank (ADB) Annual Board of Governors’ meeting next week.

Around 67 finance and economic planning ministers from various countries and some 3,000 other delegates are expected to attend the meeting dubbed as “Manila 2018” from May 2 to 6.

Deputy Director General Fernando Mendez, PNP deputy chief for operations, said security teams will ensure that no untoward incident happens during the gathering.

“We certainly face formidable security challenges, considering that local or international threat groups may take advantage of the situation to try to harm the dignitaries and embarrass the Philippine government and the entire country in the eyes of the international community,” Mendez said in his speech during the send-off ceremony for the security contingent in Camp Crame yesterday.

PNP Directorate for Operations director Chief Superintendent Ma-o Aplasca said the security task force fielded a combined contingent of 8,504 public safety personnel from the law enforcement, local government, fire and medical emergency services.

Chief Superintendent Alfredo Valdez, ADB Security Task Force commander, said aside from the ADB headquarters in Mandaluyong, they have enough personnel to secure hotels where the delegates are billeted and routes to the venue, billeting areas and the airport.