Holy Week 2024: Central Visayas police on heightened alert

Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) | Emmariel Ares

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Security personnel in Central Visayas are now in a heightened alert for the coverage of the week-long celebration of the Holy Week from March 24 to 30, 2024.

This was according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).

READ: LIST: Holy Week activities

In a phone interview with local media, Pelare said that they had already started to deploy a portion of the security personnel to different parts of the region to secure the activities for the religious event. 

“We are now on a heightened alert status here in Region 7. And we have already started our skeletal deployment last weekend. Nana tay gipang-deploy sa atong mga (We have deployed personnel in our) transportation hubs, in places or worship because the activities in the churches are now starting,” he said.

Pelare added that they would be sending the additional personnel for deployment in order to have a complete deployment status by Thursday, March 28.

READ: LTO-7 on high alert for Holy Week

In a previous interview, Pelare said that the PRO-7 would be deploying around 6,000 personnel for this year’s Holy Week celebration.

Of the officers involved, 3,866 are from the Philippine National Police (PNP), with an additional 367 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

“Expectedly, today or tomorrow, we will add more deployment para (so that) before mo-Thursday, we will have a complete deployment of personnel. Katong atong giforesee nga mga (Those that we foresee of the) number of personnel to be deployed,” said Pelare,

“Ang regional headquarters pud (The regional headquarters also), along with the PPOs and CPOs, will deploy RED teams meaning to say inspection teams to make sure that the security plan are followed,” he added.

READ: PRO-7 on Holy Week 2024 security: We are ready

Among the places where additional deployment from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7 (RMFB-7) will be sent to are Bohol and Negros, said Pelare.

The uniformed officers will be stationed at places of worship, tourist destinations, and transportation hubs where an influx of individuals are expected to gather.

Once again, Pelare said that they were prepared to respond to any incidents this Holy Week and would ensure that the residents would be able to exercise their faith with ease.

“We would like to assure the public, the population of Region 7, that your Police Regional Office 7 is now ready to deliver a very safe and secured Semana Santa 2024,” he said.

READ: PNP ramps up Holy Week security, deploys 52,000 officers