More police officers deployed across region for Holy Week
The Philippine National Police has heightened alert in Metro Manila, deploying 11,600 police officers across the region during Holy Week.
Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, National Capital Region (Metro Manila) Police director, yesterday said the move aims to ensure the safety of passengers in bus terminals and other vital installations as they travel to their provinces for the long holiday season.
Eleazar added that police officers would also be deployed to churches, where people converge in observance of Holy Week. He said other members of the force would still continue with anti-criminality operations during the holiday.
Eleazar and Quezon City Police Director Joselito Esquivel Jr conducted on-site inspections at the Araneta Bus Terminal in Cubao, Quezon City on Friday to ensure that security measures are properly rolled out while on heightened alert and in preparation for the full alert status to be declared tomorrow, when more passengers are expected to leave Metro Manila.
K9 units were also deployed by the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to detect explosives and illegal drugs.
The PDEA rolled out surprise drug tests for drivers and conductors in bus terminals to ensure the safety of passengers. PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said five drivers and one bus conductor tested positive for drug use.
He said drug users would be prevented from making trips and would be referred to the Land Transportation Office for proper intervention.
Most ships are now fully booked because of an influx of passengers exiting Metro Manila for the observance of the Holy Week and the start of summer vacation of students.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said chance passengers were still entertained by shipping companies and they were expecting more passengers in all ports nationwide until Maundy Thursday.
PCG spokesman Capt. Armand Balilo said most of the ships were fully booked and that they had monitored more than 97,000 passengers converging in all ports as of 12 noon yesterday. According to the latest monitoring of the PCG and the Department of Transportation’s Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa 2019, 97,233 passengers crowded all ports.
Balilo said they are expecting more passengers until Maundy Thursday, when most of government and private offices stop their operations.
The PCG, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) have been on heightened alert status since April 8.
PCG Commandant and Admiral Elson Hermogino last week directed all PCG units to tighten security and adopt safety measures in all ports and ferry terminals during Holy Week and the summer season.
All PCG districts nationwide have K9 teams, special operations forces, harbour patrollers and ship inspectors stationed in ports, who are all directed to exercise extra vigilance in inspecting passengers and luggage to ascertain travel safety and security, with medical teams ready to provide assistance in emergency cases.
Marina inspected at random a Batangas and Calapan Rollon/Roll-off (RoRo) vessel at the Batangas Port on April 14 to strengthen maritime safety measures.