Luzon, Visayas cops now on full alert as Typhoon ‘Tisoy’ nears
MANILA– All cops across Luzon and Visayas have been placed on full alert by the national police command to prepare for the impact of Typhoon “Tisoy” (Kammuri), the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced yesterday. The aim of the measure, the PNP said, was “to ensure availability of resources and personnel for possible disaster response operations in areas threatened by the destructive effects of Tropical Cyclone Tisoy.” Under full alert status, all the affected cops would have to cancel their leaves from duty and would have to work overtime. In a briefing past 8:00 a.m. yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said “Tisoy” is already 275 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes. The PNP also placed its national support units on full alert status, namely the Special Action Force, the Maritime Group, the Highway Patrol Group, the Police Community Relations Group, the Health Service, and all provincial mobile forces. “[R]esources and personnel from these operational support and maneuver units with disaster response capability are directed to preposition within closest and safest proximity to threatened and high-risk areas along coastlines, riverbanks and geohazard zones for rapid deployment in the event of contingency,” said PNP officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Archie Gamboa in the statement. (Rambo Talabong, Rappler.com)