MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) will deploy more police personnel and intensify patrols in areas near churches if warranted by the situation.
PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde made the remark following the incident, where an armed man tried to enter the Archbishop’s Palace in Cebu Tuesday, noting that church officials have yet to request additional security from them.
“(U)na wala naman silang request sa atin. (First, they do not have any request for that.) But then again, kung kinakailangan bigyan (if it is needed) and if we see na merong threat doon sa mga kaparian doon sa loob (that there is threat on the members of the clergy there), then we will provide additional security or intensify patrols (in the) vicinity ng mga (of the) churches or kung saan sila nakatira (or their places of residence),” Albayalde told newsmen in a chance interview.
The suspect, identified as Jeffrey Cañedo, 41, was reportedly looking for Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, who was at the 117th Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in Manila.
Church security personnel called police to apprehend the man who had run away as they tried to stop him from entering the gate.
Responding policemen shot to death the man, who opened fire on them when asked to raise his hands.
“Wala pang (known motive). Seemingly, parang medyo may problema sa pag-iisip yung tao (it appears that he is suffering from a mental disorder),” Albayalde said.