PNP to handle food budget of extra policemen for IEC

THE food budget for additional policemen to be fielded in Cebu for the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in January will come from the national government.

This eased concerns of IEC organizers in the Cebu Archdiocese which is relying on the Philippine National Police to help provide security for the week-long event that will draw 15,000 delegates and draw up to 1 million participants in open-air Masses and a grand procession.

This and other details will be taken up further in a coordination meeting today attended by PNP Director General Ricardo Marquez in Camp Sergio Osmena.

The matter was clarified after Malacanang issued a memo designating the PNP in charge of security of the International Eucharistic Congress and naming Chief Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, acting regional director of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7), as head of Ad Hoc Task Group Cebu on Cultural and Historical Events, along with other government agencies.

“That’s why we are completing our plans. We cannot determine yet how much to request from the national headquarters to augment our plans. We are still completing the number of how many officers from the region (for augmentation) for their mobilization and accommodation budget,” Gaerlan said in a media briefing.

Memorandum Circular No. 88 from the Office of the President dated Dec. 4 was signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa.

A workshop was held among Cebu police commanders yesterday to orient them on major international vents like the IEC and the Sinulog.

”We have templates for major events like this. It is a religious gathering of millions of people. This template has a component effective for crowd management,” said Supt. Nestor Bergonio, who conducted the workshop. For the papal visit last January, at least 40,000 police personnel were fielded and increased to 60,000 including other agencies, he said.

The higher the risk in the threat assessment to be made, the more police will be deployed, he said.

“The regional director has been designated to lead the operation. When the Task Group Cebu sees there is a need for more augmentation, it will arrive like equipment”, atrol cars, motorcycles and K9 units from the PNP,” he said.

Bergonia said the church will not spend for police officers to be deployed for the IEC next year. The government will provide for the budget allocation.

“During the Pope’s Visit, it was not the church who shouldered the food and transportation of the security personnel, it was the government,” he told reporters.

Gaerlan, in a separate interview said the visit of officials from PNP Camp Crame yesterday, was also a way to check on security preparations for the IEC. They will serve as advisers and consultants to evaluate the plan.

“Different components of security plans are needed especially on how to handle a possible stampede, confusion (or getting lost), and or if someone faints, what should be done and where hospital should he or she be brought,” said Gaerlan.

He said he would request for equipment form Camp Crame such as metal scanners, walk through scanners which is vital for the international event and coordinate with locations that need closed-circuit television. plaza.