3K policemen to man security for Sinulog

Cebu City Police Operations Chief, Supt. David Señor discusses security plans for the Sinulog Grand Parade during their Sinulog coordinating conference at the Police Regional Office.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON

With the coming of Cebu’s biggest event, the Sinulog Festival next month, the police are now drawing up their security plans.

Police Regional Director, Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino said around 3,000 policemen from Police Regional Office (PRO-7) will be deployed to secure the celebration of the Fiesta Señor. He said PRO-7 has enough personnel to secure the entire duration of the fiesta.

“From day one we will deploy more or less 3,000 personnel,” Espino said.

The lack of personnel of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and the logistical requirements for the security plans for the Sinulog Festival were tackled during the meeting of Task Group Sinulog 2018 yesterday, said Espino.

The police director said CCPO asked for augmentation of personnel for the Sinulog grand parade.

CCPO operations chief, Supt. David Señor admitted that they lack personnel to cover the whole duration of Sinulog.

“We are thankful and happy that the regional director (Espino) committed to grant our request of augmentation,” Señor said.

During their security planning, the fact that they only have almost 2,000 uniformed personnel came up.

He admitted that the number is not enough and they need at least another 1,000 personnel to cover the Sinulog.

“Dako kayao na ikatabang sa deployment,” Señor said.

(It will be a great help to the deployment for security measures)

He said that in personnel deployment the most ideal distance between each policeman is 10 meters.

“Nakita nato this year and the past Sinulog festivals, kuwang ta sa deployment ilabi na sa crowd control maong dapat natong pun-an,” Señor said.

(We saw this year and the past Sinulog festivals that we were lacking in deployment of policemen, especially for crowd control that is why we need augmentation)

He said that the augmentation forces will help keep the peace and order situation along the Sinulog route especially that parties and liquor along the route are banned.

“Sa una reactionary man ato. React and respond rata if naay trouble. Karon atong buhaton sa mga sectors nga problematic, ato unhan (we will deploy security details),” he added.