Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, Deputy Director for Operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO). | CDN Photo/ Emmariel Ares
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Throughout the week-long Palarong Pambansa 2024 in Cebu City, there was only one untoward incident involving a delegate that was reported to police.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, Deputy Director for Operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said that a delegate reportedly lost some personal belongings after leaving a bag at a corner of a playing venue last week.
This incident allegedly took place inside one of the universities in Cebu City where games of table tennis were being conducted.
According to Rafter, the incident happened while there was an influx of individuals at the venue and it was difficult to separate players from the students who were there to enroll.
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She stated that the incident served as a lesson for them to provide stricter security at the schools that were used as venues of the Palarong Pambansa 2024.
“So with that, among gi-improve amoang security deployment…Lesson learned pud to sa atoa no nga especially kanang mga event nga giheld sa mga eskwelahan, establishemento,” stated Rafter.
She added that they have since cordoned off specific areas where the games were being held and deployed additional personnel at the venues.
Aside from this one incident, Rafter relayed that there were no major incidents recorded during Palaro.
The games will officially close Tuesday afternoon at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Rafter added that similar to the Palarong Pambansa 2024 opening ceremony, they are expecting that the closing will also end in a peaceful manner.
“As we end it today, [we hope] nga it will remain to be peaceful and festive ang atoang environment diri sa Cebu,” stated Rafter.
“Sa pagsugod nato nga masadyaon ug malinawon, we also expect the same nga mahuman ta sa atong Palaro officially karong adlawa nga malinawon pud ug masadyaon,” she added.
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The closing ceremony of Palarong Pambansa 2024 will take place on Tuesday, July 16, at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Police are also expecting that some VVIPs will be attending the closing ceremony, according to Rafter.
Among them is Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte.
However, their security plan will not be as extensive as it was during the opening because the number of expected delegates is considerably smaller this time.
While around 13,000 delegates were present during the opening of Palarong Pambansa 2024, only 100 participants from each contingent are expected to attend the closing event.
In spite of this, law enforcers will continue to be alert for any possible security disruptions.
There will also be rerouting of traffic routes, according to Rafter.
“Based sa CCTO, there wil be rerouting. There will be some closure. But it’s not as long as the opening,” she stated.
Rafter said that around 250 officers will be deployed at the CCSC before the ceremony starts at 5:00 p.m. after their coverage of the other remaining events.
The personnel will be tasked to ensure the safety of the VVIPs, delegates, and the thousands of spectators expected to gather at the venue for the end of Palarong Pambansa 2024.