Cops doubled in malls, terminals

LAWAS

The regional police are doubling the number of police personnel assigned to secure malls, markets and terminals.

Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas said during a press briefing on Thursday that they had deployed an equal number of police officers to augment those assigned on those places of convergence in the province.

Lawas said this was part of their ramping up of their police operations and deployment in various places in the province now that Christmas is coming.

He said that the police officers deployed to augment the police officers in malls, markets and terminals would come from the Regional Public Safety Batallion.

Lawas said this is just part of their efforts to assure the public that the police security in the region continues to be airtight, despite the capture of the four “persons of interests” involved in the foiled bombing near the US Embassy in Manila.

He said that their security is tight with regards to the warding of possible entry of terror groups in the region.
“We are still on full alert status. So all police personnel are required to be on their stations and they should be available when they are needed,” Lawas said.

“We will be strengthening the deployment of our police forces in the different areas especially that Christmas is approaching. Daghan na (There are already lots of) activities in areas especially in department stores and malls,” Lawas said.

Senior Supt. Joel Doria, Cebu City Police Office chief, said the Cebu City police has continued to tighten security in Cebu City since the bombing incident in the Davao night market last Sept. 2 and when PNP Director-General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa put the entire country under Terror Alert Level 3 on December 1.

“Since the Davao bombing and the pronouncement of Terror Alert Level 3, our security preparations remain the same, we are still in full alert. Our police personnel are still fully-deployed in the city,” Doria told reporters.