Police security up starting today for high-level APEC meet
Security will be beefed up again starting today in Central Visayas for the second round of meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) set for October 8-14.
Delegates are expected to start arriving this week for high level meetings on energy and transportation at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa.
All leaves of police personnel are canceled and extra deployment is being readied.
“We are declaring full alert status in Cebu island. I will give provincial directors of Bohol and Siquijor a free hand in declaring the same for APEC. We are looking at how will it affect the other islands,” said Chief Supt. Prudencio “Tom” Bañas, regional police director, who also serves as the commander of the APEC Regional Joint Task Force.
Additional policemen will be fielded for APEC special security duty but this time, they will come from Cebu province, not borrowed from islands of Bohol and Siquijor.
Fewer policemen are needed compared to the troops assembled to secure almost 3,000 delegates in the first round of APEC meetings from Aug. 22 to Sept. 11 in conferences held in four hotels in Cebu City.
But the conference this week involves minister-level officials and CEOs from APEC’s 21 member economies, who require strict security
In an earlier interview, Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, spokesman for the Site Task Group for APEC, said only two hotel venues are involved—Shangri-La in Lapu-Lapu City and Radisson Blue Hotel in Cebu City.
Since some delegates will avail of tour packages offered by the Department of Tourism (DOT), police have to be ready to spread out and keep an eye on those who go sight-seeing on their downtime.
“Like in the first round of APEC meetings, many delegates went to Bohol. We will see what we can do since we can’t stop them from visiting tourist spots,” said Bañas.
The Chocolate Hills, the Loboc River Cruise and white sand beach resorts in Panglao island were some of the attractions that brought APEC delegates to Bohol.
Still, it will be a tight schedule for the regional police unit.
Two days before the first meeting in October 8-10, police have to secure an ASEAN meeting at the Movenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu sponsored by the Civil Service Commission.
“We will be securing them also. There will be a few participants so we will just incorporate them in our preparations,” he said.
Traffic rerouting schemes will be implemented to ensure a smooth flow of delegates from one venue to another. Details have yet to be announced.
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