PRO-7 chief: 12 individuals nabbed for pickpocketing during Sinulog Grand Parade

Foreign tourists report to the Multi-Agency Command Center about them losing their valuables as they were watching the Sinulog Grand Parade this morning. | Pegeen Maisie Sararaña

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Twelve individuals were arrested for allegedly being involved in pickpocketing incidents that happened during the Sinulog Grand Parade on Sunday, Jan. 15 at the South Road Properties (SRP) grounds.

Police Brigadier General Jerry Bearis, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said that most of the arrested individuals claimed that they were from Ormoc and the Luzon areas.

Bearis said that they already anticipated this to happen and that was why this was already included in their security planning. 

They assigned personnel who would monitor the drones used, complementing the visible police force along the route of the grand parade. 

Police said that several reports from the victims were received at the Multi-Agency Command Center since this morning, Jan. 15.

The suspected thieves were caught through the security cameras placed on drones that the police used.

The PRO-7 applied an Israeli-inspired security system and technology in monitoring the activities of the Sinulog 2023, including the use of drones. 

Further 6,000 security personnel secured the grand parade activity. This includes the other law enforcement agencies and force multipliers that they tapped for assistance. 

According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of Police Brigadier General Jerry Bearis, most of the victims were foreigners who joined the celebration.

“Diha toy nag-report sa MAC, the RD, the Task Force Commander, was here to monitor nakita nato nga diay nga (we have here) victims, most of them foreigners, then subsequently nag-adjust (we adjusted and) we’re able to arrest the suspects,” Pelare said. 

“Diri sa SRP within the venue, since this morning naa nay nang report so nakita nato ang advantage pud diri sa SRP because the place is confined so it’s easy to track people then dali ra siya ma-secure gyud ang whole place,” he added. 

(Here in SRP within the venue, since this morning, there are those who reported, so we saw the advantage here in SRP because the place is confined so it’s easy to track people then it is easy and quick to secure the whole place.)

With this, Pelare reminds everyone to be mindful of their belongings considering the crowd influx. Most of the valuables taken included cellular phones, wallets, among others. 

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