PNP to deploy 34,000 police for Holy Week, summer vacation

Around 34,000 police officers will be deployed in crowded locations to ensure public safety during the observance of Holy Week and summer vacation, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said that police force will maintain a presence at places of worship, tourist destinations, and major thoroughfares, including bus terminals, airports, and seaports. Police assistance desks will also be placed in these areas.

“Ang ating Oplan SUMVAC (summer vacation), traditionally nagsa-start ng April 1 hanggang May 31, but since ang ating Semana Santa ay outside of the summer vacation ay nag-advance deployment tayo. Ito pa lamang Palm Sunday ay magde-deploy na tayo ng ating mga kapulisan diyan sa ating mga simbahan,” Fajardo said.

(Our Oplan SUMVAC traditionally starts from April 1 to May 31, but since the Holy Week will be observed earlier than the summer vacation, we will have an advance deployment. Starting this Palm Sunday, we will be deploying police to churches.)

The Holy Week this year will begin next week, March 24, on Palm Sunday. It will last until March 30, Black Saturday, and will be succeeded by Easter Sunday, when Catholic faithfuls celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. 

According to Fajardo, the PNP is already on heightened alert a week before the Holy Week.

“As a matter of practice, kapag ganitong mga Holy Week observance ay naka-heightened alert na tayo pero ang mga regional director are given the discretion kung sa mga area nila ay kailangan pang itaas ang full alert level. They have the authority and discretion to do so,” she added.

(In events like Holy Week, we are already on heightened alert. But the regional directors have the discretion to raise it to full alert level in their own areas, if needed.)

Fajardo also said that the PNP has not yet monitored any threats that may disrupt the Holy Week observance, but they will still continuously coordinate with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

As for the summer break, she said more or less 7,000 tourist police will be deployed in major tourist spots for the security of both local and foreign tourists. About 400 K-9 or police service dogs will also help in checking baggage for possible drugs or explosives.—Giselle Ombay/RF, GMA Integrated News