Ensure APEC leaders’ safety – Noy

In the wake of the terror attacks in Paris that left at least 129 people dead, President Aquino has ordered heightened measures to secure the leaders of the world economies attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC) summit in Manila this week.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the President has taken personal responsibility for the safety of the delegates while focusing on the preparations for the APEC summit.

Aquino called a meeting with top security officials over the weekend to assess the

impact of the terror attack in France in relation to the security preparations for the APEC summit in Manila.

US President Barack Obama is set to join the leaders of China, Japan, Australia, Canada and 15 others for the APEC summit on Nov. 18-19.

Early on Saturday, government troops deployed anti-aircraft guns around the main summit venue as police conducted a full rehearsal of the visiting leaders’ motorcades to the summit venues and their hotels.

Military helicopters flew low overhead while naval gunboats patrolled the waters of nearby Manila Bay.

Coloma said the President had a meeting with top security officials led by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Hernando Irriberi and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ricardo Marquez.

He said the President stressed the importance of securing the delegates attending the APEC.

Gazmin, for his part, said he is satisfied with the security preparations for the APEC.

“We are preparing for all contingencies and we... that’s why we’re doing our last minute check to make sure no stones are kept unturned,” he said.

However, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario, the chairperson of APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting said security issues should remain “off radar.”

Del Rosario said security preparations should not be discussed publicly “because people will know what we have put in place.”

“From my position, security issues should really remain off, you know, off radar. Meaning, we don’t want people knowing what you are doing, right? But definitely, it came that there are heightened security measures,” she said.

More active and visible

Taking note of the Paris terror attacks, the PNP said it would stick to its original security plan.

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor said the APEC Special Task Force has taken in all the possibilities in ensuring the security of the delegates, even during earthquakes.

“We will implement the original plan based on previous discussions. We have conducted 97 meetings since last year. The basic question was what if, the APEC Security Task Force will answer all of those questions, including emergency preparedness, search and rescue,” Mayor said.

“A matter of execution, our troops are already deployed, augmented from other regions,” he added.

– With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Alexis Romero, Pia Lee-Brago, Non Alquitran, Perseus Echeminada