PNP intensifies security preps on ‘Simbang Gabi’

In a statement on Saturday, Gamboa said he placed all police units in Luzon and Visayas on full Alert status effective 6 a.m. Sunday, (Dec. 15), for the entire Holiday Season until Jan. 5, 2020. (File Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA — With the yearly “Simbang Gabi” set to start at dawn on Monday (Dec. 16), Philippine National Police officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa has ordered the stepping up of police visibility and preventive patrol operations to the ensure safety and security of churchgoers attending the traditional “Simbang Gabi”.

In a statement on Saturday, Gamboa said he placed all police units in Luzon and Visayas on full Alert status effective 6 a.m. Sunday, (Dec. 15), for the entire Holiday Season until Jan. 5, 2020.

The full alert means the highest level of readiness in all police officers and units in Luzon and Visayas.

Through the PNP Command Memorandum Circular “Paskuhan” 2019, 69,335 PNP personnel backed by 157,264 force multipliers would be deployed across the country for law enforcement and public safety operations.

“We do not really anticipate major peace and order issues during the Yuletide Season, but, we are deploying more policemen in the field as a crime prevention measure,” Gamboa said.

Gamboa instructed all police regional directors to beef-up night shift personnel and redirect mobile and foot patrol operations for nine-day dawn masses or “Misa de Gallo” ushering Christmas Day.

Gamboa also instructed all local police units to coordinate with village authorities to monitor violators of the ban on dangerous and illegal firecrackers.

Field unit commanders were instructed m to deploy mobile patrol units with blinkers on to visibly establish police presence.

He also instructed area supervisors among Directors for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO) to determine compliance of field units through unannounced inspection.

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said the deployment is to implement the PNP Enhanced Managing Police Operations (E-MPO) Strategy, which would address safety and security issues and concerns.

The PNP troop deployment, Banac said, would cover community firecracker and display zones, assistance hubs, places of worship, commercial centers, road safety points, seaports, train stations, and airports.

Meanwhile, other units would be deployed for anti-criminality operations, anti-motorcycle-riding suspects, and reactionary standby support force, Banac said.