Sinas says maximum tolerance will be observed on Labor Day

Police Officers participate in the Civil Disturbance Management Competition at the Quadrangle of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas. | CDND Photo / Tonee Despojo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) is giving May 1 protesters a free rein to conduct rallies and express themselves as long they do not cause chaos or disrupt any activity.

Brigadier General Debold Sinas, chief of PRO-7, has ordered the police chiefs of different cities and towns in Cebu to practice “maximum tolerance” as rallies are expected to be mounted on Labor Day, May 1.

But he reminded protesters that the police will step in should the protesters disrupt the peaceful situation of an area.

“The guidance is maximum tolerance. Ang limit ra ana kay ayaw mo pangguba og mga gamit, ayaw mo’g pangharang og mga distractions, and pasagdan ramo diha to express whatever,” said Sinas.

(The limit is… do not destroy things, do not cause distractions, and we will leave you to express whatever you want.)

Police personnel in the region are also set for any possibility of chaos with their participation in the Civil Disturbance Management Competition, which was held on the morning of April 30 at the PRO-7 Quadrangle in Cebu City.

The competition had police officers from different police stations mediating a group of rowdy protesters.

The competition showed the protesters removing the shields used by the police officers, and pulling the police officers into their own crowd.

Sinas, however, was hopeful that what happened in the competition will not happen in real life, especially that the scenarios depicted during the competition were “worst case scenarios.”

Mandaue City Police Station (MCPO) won the competition, with Cebu City Police Station (CCPO) and Lapu – Lapu Police Station following in second and third places respectively.

Sinas said the different police stations are ready for any rally that might happen on May 1, Labor Day. / celr