CEBU CITY, Philippines— The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) will be on heightened alert status for the holidays.
Police Brigadier General Valeriano de Leon, director of PRO-7, gave this directive to all the station commanders and provincial directors in Central Visayas on Monday morning, December 16, 2019, which is the start of the traditional Misa de Gallo, or the nine-day novena dawn masses leading to Christmas day.
De Leon asked the police force to continue intensifying foot and mobile patrols in all public areas, especially in churches, bus terminals, and ports during this season.
“I even [encourage] all the officers in Central Visayas to also be present in the churches ng sa ganun ay they will also be useful,” said De Leon.
The police intelligence monitoring team were also alerted to intensify surveillance in bus terminals and ports as these are the areas those with criminal intent would likely strike in.
“Mahirap na baka malusutan tayo,” De Leon said.
De Leon reported that there were no untoward incidents in the first day of the Misa de Gallo in Cebu.
Help desks near entrances of churches in Cebu were put up for immediate emergency response during the dawn masses.
There were also no robbery incidents reported yet. This is one of the crimes that the police is focusing on during this holiday season.
According to De Leon, they will maintain to be on alert until New Year’s day celebration to ensure public safety. /bmjo