8K cops to secure SEA Games venues in Metro Manila

Aside from police officers, 20,000 personnel from different agencies will also be deployed for the augmentation for sports events of SEA Games, PNP officer-in-charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa said. (File Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA — The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will go on full alert on November 25, deploying around 8,000 police officers to secure local and foreign delegates of the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), an official said on Friday.

NCRPO acting director, Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas said they will deploy the police officers starting November 22 in 27 billet areas and 19 sports venues in Metro Manila.

“The guests will start arriving on November 24 and 25 so we will place the entire force on full alert on the 25th up to December 14,” Sinas said during a press briefing at Quezon City Police District.

Sinas said no security threat was monitored so far but the NCRPO remains on alert for any eventuality.

On Monday, PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said a total of 27,440 police officers will be deployed in the venues in Metro Manila, Laguna, Bulacan, Tagaytay, Subic and New Clark City sports complex in Capas, Tarlac for the sporting event.

Some 18,105 policemen will be deployed in Metro Manila, 6,554 in Central Luzon, 1,865 in Southern Luzon and 916 in La Union.

Aside from police officers, 20,000 personnel from different agencies will also be deployed for the augmentation for sports events of SEA Games, PNP officer-in-charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa said.

“We are putting our best foot forward for the regional sporting event among our Asean neighbors. We have started preparation since last year, we continue to rehearse and fine-tune all our systems and procedures for this event, such that we have established a full back-up system that will address any unforeseen situation that may arise,” Gamboa said.

Over 10,000 athletes from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor Leste, Singapore and Vietnam will participate in 543 sports events.

The 30th SEA Games will open on November 30 at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan and will be held in different venues in Metro Manila, Clark, Pampanga, and Subic, Zambales. It will conclude at the New Clark City on December 11.

The country won its first-ever SEA Games overall championship in 2005, the last time it hosted the biennial meet.

The Philippines also hosted the 1981 and 1991 editions of the SEA Games.