Protesters biggest Asean security problem – NCRPO

Forget terror threats. Protesters are the “biggest security problem” faced by law enforcers during the 31st Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) summit, Metro Manila’s top cop said yesterday following the violent confrontation between protesters and police.

National Capital Region Police Officer (NCRPO) Director Oscar Albayalde said there is no clear and present danger posed by terror threats but protesters are becoming the biggest problem in terms of the security situation.

“Not a threat, they (protesters) are a problem,” he said in an ambush interview.

Albayalde added that the NCRPO “recorded no major crime incident; so far so good, everything is going well as planned.”

On the first day of the international event, security managers cited the absence of any disruption of schedule of heads of state and delegates.

Chief Supt. Noel Baraceros, director for operations of the ASEAN Security Task Force (ASTF), said everything went as planned.

“I think it’s 10, (on a scale) of 1 to 10,” said Baraceros when asked by The STAR on the assessment of the performance of the ASEAN security team on the first day of the summit.

Baraceros said there was no disruption at all, not even in traffic, and that an ASEAN delegate even visited the International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños, Laguna.

“There are still some activities that will be conducted at the Philippine International Convention Center and other venues elsewhere. Some leaders and their spouses would like to see Metro Manila as well as Tagaytay, Bulacan and Pampanga,” Baraceros added during the security briefing of the Multi-Agency Coordinating Committee at One Esplanade in Pasay City.

‘No sail zones’

Other militant groups were warned against staging fluvial protests in “no sail zones” during the summit, the ASTF said.

Lt. Jomark Angue, spokesman for Task Unit on Maritime Security, warned that motorboats are designed for fishing and not suitable for carrying passengers. He said some leftist groups are supposedly preparing 50 of these for the conduct of protests in the waters near the summit venue.

“I appeal to the owner of motorboats not to put the lives of their passengers at risk especially if they don’t know how to swim,” Angue said in Filipino.

The Task Unit on Maritime Security is one of the composite teams of the ASTF tasked to conduct regular patrols and surveillance in waters near the venue of the summit and other meetings.

Angue admitted that while they have not received any request for clearance on the conduct of fluvial protests, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is ready to apprehend all types of vessels which will be spotted in the no sail zones.

A public advisory was previously announced that the waters within the vicinity of H2O Hotel in Manila to Okada Hotel, New Seaside Drive in Parañaque have been designated as “no sail zones” from Nov. 5 to 16.

During the same period, the shoreline from H2O Hotel to the mouth of the Pasig River are designated as controlled zones where all vessels coming in and out of the shoreline will be escorted by PCG patrol boats.

No cellphones for cops

Security personnel deployed to summit-related duty are not allowed to use their cellphones while on duty to ensure their focus on the job, said Interior and Local Government officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy.

Cuy, head of the Committees on Security, Peace and Order, and Emergency Preparedness and Response, said any distraction of police officers could compromise the safety and security of heads of state and delegates.

“I also expect you to be always present at your post, to be snappy and courteous at all times. Let’s do our work seriously and with great passion and commitment,” he said.

“While we have successfully secured arrivals and billeting,” Cuy called on all troopers, especially those on the ground, to “not let your guard down and be alert at all times.”

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said a total of 2,903 leaders and delegates are in the country for the summit.

BI acting spokesman Grifton Medina said aside from the foreigners, 825 local officials and delegates are also participating in the meetings.

Better than APEC 2015

The security preparations during the summit are better than that of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) in 2015.

Emmanuel Miro, of the ASEAN Security Task Force Traffic Management, admitted that both international events caused inconvenience to the public due to lockdowns and special lanes to ensure the smooth movement of heads of state and summit delegates.

During the APEC in 2015, all heads of state used the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, thus several regular flights were diverted, delayed or altogether cancelled. The stretch of EDSA was also affected by traffic lockdown.

Miro said the designated ASEAN lane along EDSA southbound has been removed as of noon yesterday since all heads of state and delegates have arrived.