Tight security for Calungsod event in Cebu
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, November 29 (PIA) -- Around 1,595 police personnel will be deployed tomorrow within the vicinity of the South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City where the National Thanksgiving Mass of the second Filipino Saint San Pedro Calungsod will be held.
P/Supt. Arnel Banzon of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) during the recent monthly ‘Talakayuan sa Isyung Pulis’ (TSIP) Forum said the number of security personnel does not include the augmentation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Central Command and other force multipliers that will help in ensuring peace and order during the event.
President Aquino is scheduled to attend the event as well as Vice President Jejomar Binay.
A crowd of 500,000 to one million is expected to gather for the historic religious occasion.
In Metro Cebu alone, 150 parishes have signified their intent to join the mass along with their parishioners, said Banzon.
Banzon said 20 buses have been fielded to shuttle participants from strategic areas going to the mass venue as the whole stretch of the SRP is closed except for those with issued car passes.
Five intelligence teams will also be fielded for covert security within the venue, according to P/S Inspector Mark Gifter Sucalit of the Regional Intelligence Division of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7.
Sucalit said they are intensifying their intelligence monitoring against any threat groups that are out to disrupt the event.
“So far, we have not received any reports of any threat groups that are here in Cebu that intend to disrupt the Calungsod event. But we are not going to be complacent” said Sucalit.
Banzon assuaged concerns that some lawless elements would take the opportunity to strike and conduct robbery or burglary in homes or commercial establishments with the security focus on the Calungsod mass.
“Police will continue to do their regular duty such as beat and mobile patrol among others to ensure that peace and order is still maintained in other areas,” added Banzon.
The police official however, appealed to the public to remain vigilant and report to the police in case of any suspicious elements in their neighborhood. (PIA-7)
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Roxas leads San Pedro Calungsod Thanksgiving Mass
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, Nov 29 (PIA) --- Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas personally led the final ground preparations, Wednesday, for the Thanksgiving Mass for San Pedro Calungsod to ensure a “safe, secure, and solemn” event for the thousands of devotees expected to flock South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu.
Roxas presided over the final briefing at the event site to ensure that all security preparations and contingencies are in place for the Friday afternoon Thanksgiving Mass which will be preceded by a fluvial parade along the Mactan Channel up to the SRP.
Two land processions by the faithful from the north and south of Cebu will converge at the Mass site.
“Security is our utmost concern. PNP personnel will be dispersed in the crowd and within the perimeter area. Whenever you have so many people in a confined space, crowd control is always an utmost concern. We want to avoid accidents especially in the event of stampede,” Roxas said.
The security briefing was attended by top regional officials of the Philippine National Police, the National Police Commission, the Bureau of Fire Protection and local government officials who are tasked to handle the security and public safety aspects of the event.
“Do not leave anything to chance. Kaligtasan nang kabuuan ang importante. Mabuti na ang maingat kaysa magpabaya tayo at may nangyaring hindi maganda. The safety and convenience of the visitors and Mass attendees are paramount, so we must make sure that all our available resources and personnel are strategically deployed starting yesterday,” Roxas said.
Aside from conducting the final briefing, Roxas led the actual inspection of the site for the Mass as well as the security measures that have been put in place since last week.
Organizers said they expect hundreds of thousands of devotees, clergymen, as well as local and foreign dignitaries to attend the Mass in honor of the second Filipino saint native of Cebu. The PNP said the crowd could even swell to one and a half million.
The PNP is assigning 50 police personnel for every block at the venue, plus other support staff for transport security, intelligence and communications. At least 1,500 police security personnel will be deployed in the main venue alone.
Roxas said while all possible safety and precautionary measures have been identified and put in place, he urged those attending the Mass and those joining the land and fluvial processions to remain vigilant and alert for any possible untoward incident considering the big number of people who are expected to show up.
Firemen, rescue, and emergency personnel will also be present in strategic command posts to enable them to respond promptly and effectively for any eventuality, Roxas said. Fire trucks, ambulances and emergency vehicles will likewise be deployed and ready to respond to any emergency.
He added that the security and emergency preparations cover the fluvial and land procession routes, bus terminals and the designated convergence areas for those coming from the north and south of Cebu City as well as the main event venue itself.
Friday’s VIP attendees will be led by President PNoy and church officials led by Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, Congregation for the Causes of Saints Prefect Angelo Cardinal Amato and some 40 members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines along with church dignitaries from other countries.(PIA-7/DILG)