ASEAN Summit security a success

CEBU, Philippines - Police Regional Office-7 director Chief Superintendent Noli Taliño called the security coverage of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit from April 3 up to April 7 a success as no untoward incidents happened.

“Very peaceful and orderly, successful ang ASEAN sa Cebu. ‘Yun ang sinabi rin ‘nung national organizing council (ng ASEAN),” Taliño told reporters.

He added that the delegates as well as the national organizing council of ASEAN praised the police for giving enough security from the first day of the summit to the last.

A security force of 5,400 personnel were deployed to secure the ASEAN Summit delegates upon the arrival at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, their stay in their hotels, and their trips to and from meeting venues in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu.

Aside from the police, 21 government agencies including the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Armed Forces of the Philippines also helped maintain the peace and order during the week-long event.

Taliño previously said around 100 surveillance cameras were installed in strategic areas within the three cities covering the airport, the hotels, and venues of the meetings.

With flood and traffic becoming problems during the first day of the summit, Taliño said they managed to coordinate with the local government unit to help deal with the problems in specific areas of the mentioned cities.

As the ASEAN ended last Friday, Taliño said some of the delegates still toured the cities and were provided police escorts.

“’Yung iba umalis na, ‘yung iba paalis na, may mga nag-iikot. Meron (police escort)” Taliño said.  —/BRP (FREEMAN)