THE Philippine National Police will deploy almost 500 personnel to secure cemeteries throughout Northern Mindanao during the observance of All Soul’s and All Saint’s Days, beginning October 28 to November 4.
In a press advisory to reporters, Police Regional Director Lawrence Coop said more than 2,000 PNP personnel will be assigned to different grave sites in the region to ensure public safety.
“It has already been a tradition of Filipinos to visit their deceased loved ones during Undas and it is already expected na marami ang pupunta sa mga sementeryo,” Coop said.
Such maximum police presence including its multipliers and advocacy groups, counterparts from the Philippine Coast Guards, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are already enough to secure the region’s cemeteries.
Coop said it is not only cemeteries that would be looked into but also transportation hubs and terminals, churches, plazas, malls, and other places of convergence.
The said security-tightening situation is advantageous for the people against threat groups, criminal gangs, and the spread of Covid-19 in private and public cemeteries, major thoroughfares, and tourist destinations during the long weekend.
“Bilang parte ng programang Malasakit, Kaayusan, Kapayapaan tungo sa kaunlaran, patuloy na nakikipag ugnayan ang inyong kapolisan sa mga lokal na pamahalaan upang tiyakin ang seguridad ng ating mamamayan. Ang maipapayo ko lamang sa publiko ay mag ingat at maging mapagmatyag sa paligid,” Coop said.
Coop also reminded the public that whenever they observed illegal activities done by some individuals to contact the nearest police headquarters or immediately call the police hotline.