Police brace for Christmas season

AFTER the successful conduct of the 31st Association of the Southeast Asian Nation (Asean) leaders’ summit in Manila, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is shifting its focus to preparations for the Christmas season.

PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said they were preparing security measures against criminal groups.

“After itong 31st ASEAN summit may re-deployment tayo ng mga personnel natin to these commercial centers tapos ‘yung mga places of convergence at saka ‘yung terminals kasi ‘yung tao pupunta dyan for traveling (Our personnel are being re-deployed to commercial centers, terminals and other places of convergence),” he said.

Carlos said the 180,000 PNP

men are not allowed to take a leave of absence during the holidays to ensure high visibility on the streets in order to deter crimes.

Carlos said they created an oversight committee to identify the “hot spots” during the holiday season.

He said the committee will also assess criminal activities in the identified areas and the intervention they have to take in order to lessen the crime incidents, particularly theft.

Carlos said theft incidents would usually increase particularly in the highly-urbanized areas during the holiday season.

“Ang ginagawa natin we take the away the one element which is the opportunity (for them to commit theft) by having our police officers patrollers sa mga commercial centers, ‘yung presence and prevention nila and the daily assessment para hindi mabigyan ng opportunity ‘yung mga thieves makapang-biktima,” Carlos added.

He reminded the public of several modus operandi of the criminals such as the budolbudol, salisi and others that aim to distract the target.

Carlos also urged the public not to display or bring along with them their expensive belongings when they go shopping or go to crowded areas to avoid being a target of criminal elements. SunStar Philippines