Possible road closure and maximum deployment of police personnel including bomb experts and riot police are being considered as part of the security preparations for the presidential debate on March 20 to be held at University of the Philippines Cebu Campus.
According to Police Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, deputy regional director for operations, said that they already met with the organizers of the debate last Friday including representatives from TV5 and UP Cebu.
He said that all presidential candidates, Grace Poe, Mar Roxas, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Rodrigo Duterte and Jejomar Binay will be given separate holding places before the event and they will also be given a chance to interact with 2,500 pre-listed audience outside the debate hall in UP Cebu grounds.
Police will also designate places for specific presidential candidate supporters to avoid any fight or riot.
“We are looking into closing the road for traffic for the safety of the candidates but we will wait for the guidance of the Commission on Elections (Comelec),” he said.