Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) city director Police Colonel Josefino Ligan. CDN Digital photo | Pegeen Maisie Sararaña
CEBU CITY, Philippines — On March 29, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will raise its alert status to full alert for the entire 2021 Holy Week celebration.
CCPO director Police Colonel Josefino Ligan said that a full alert means all police personnel in Cebu City will report for work for the entire week and no one is allowed to take a leave from work.
He added that this means all the personnel will be present in their respective police stations and ready to be deployed at any needed time.
“For the whole Cebu City Police Office ang atoang security personnel, PNP uniformed men will be on full alert status,” Ligan said.
(Our whole Cebu City Police Office personnel will be included in the security team, all PNP uniformed men will be on full alert status.)
Ligan further said that the city police are 100% ready for this coming Holy Week as an influx of people is expected to visit seaports and bus terminals. They are also eyeing those who will go home to their respective provinces in Cebu.
Ligan also announced during a press conference on Tuesday, March 23, that Visita Iglesia is canceled in line with the increasing number of COVID cases in Cebu province. This is according to the Archdiocese of Cebu.
READ: Palma reminds churches, devotees no crowd-gathering events for Holy Week
Palma first announced that churches will be open to those who plan to pay a visit as an observance for the coming Holy Week but open for change when COVID cases rise.
Also, the Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) requested churches not to conduct live masses and suggested having these done online.
“We will follow what NCRPO did na ang ilahang mga masses is thru virtual, hopefully, ma consider na nila nga suggestion para maiwasan nato ang panagtapok sa mga tawo sa mga places of convergence,” Ligan said.
The city’s top police officer also stressed that they also strengthen their anti-criminality efforts and programs to prepare for those who will take advantage of the situation. /rcg