Luzon PNP commanders mustered
The PNP is now awaiting instructions from the NDRRMC on how to mobilize PNP troops for the national government’s response in the most severely affected areas
Amid the intensity 7 earthquake that rocked the province of Abra and nearby provinces that led to the wide destruction of properties, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday ordered all its police commanders in northern and central part of luzon to coordinate with their respective local government units (lGu) to maximize police assistance in the earthquake affected areas.
PNP director for Operations Police Maj. Gen. Valeriano de leon disclosed that regional directors in luzon are also ordered to mobilize standby forces in the conduct of search, rescue and relief operations especially in ilocos Region and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
“We are currently coordinating with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to determine how many personnel, what specific assets, and what locations require manpower for relief, rescue, and other disaster response,” said De leon in a statement.
According to the Office of Civil Defense, the earthquake’s epicenter was near Abra on Wednesday morning, but there were already reports of damage in the ilocos Region, Cordillera, and other areas in northern luzon.
De leon, meantime, said that the PNP is now awaiting instructions from the NDRRMC on how to mobilize police troops for the national government’s response in the most severely affected areas.
He added that police personnel in the affected areas must coordinate with the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (DRRMO) to determine how police personnel on the ground can effectively and efficiently assist in the overall response of both the local and national government.
According to De leon, an order was also issued to inspect the state of PNP buildings and establishments in earthquakeaffected areas.
“We also urged the police commanders to check on our personnel and their families’ well-being. if there are PNP personnel who were affected, they should be given the opportunity to go home to take care of their families,” said De leon.
Meanwhile, PNP officer-in-charge Police lieutenant General Vicente Danao Jr. said that the PNP will continue to maintain the effective command and control of all PNP units and Offices in Northern luzon.
Danao said that the primary and alternate communication lines with regional, provincial and municipal police units, including maneuver forces remain functional and power sources in these areas remain stable.
He also instructed the Police Regional Offices in Cordillera ilocos-Pangasinan region and Cagayan Valley region to ensure 100 percent availability of PNP resources and personnel for disaster response operations in coordination with local DRRMO and lGu.
The Regional Disaster incident Management Task Groups of Police Regional Office 1, 2 were also activated under the Regional Community Affairs and Development Division and Regional Operations Division of concerned Police Regional Offices.