BAGUIO CITY – The Police Regional Office – Cordillera (PRO-Cor) intensified its police operations including police visibility to ensure safety and security of the public following the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte placing the whole country under “State of National Emergency on Account of Lawless Violence.”
PRO-Cor Acting Regional Director PCSupt. Elmo Francis Sarona and Baguio City Police Office Director PSSupt. George Daskeo led the inspection of various areas of convergence, public areas as well as the economic key points in the city of Baguio and the placement of checkpoints at various strategic areas last week.
The PNP officials met with officials of the Philippine Air Force – Tactical Operations Group 1 led by its Commander Col. Onorlie Brillantes and inspected a giant mall chain and bus terminals in the central business district.
The PNP and AFP officials also conducted dialogue with the security officers of the various establishments and transport sector and explained the need to conduct such intensified police operations and the placement of additional police officers as partners of the security personnel.
The group also coordinated with the security officers to ensure that the security measures are in place and that these are coordinated with the BCPO.
The team also inspected baggage at the bus terminals using the K-9 units and then moved on to the walk though of the checkpoints established by the BCPO at various areas in the city particularly the entry and exit points leading to Baguio City.
Sarona said that the operations are in response to state of lawlessness placing the PNP and the AFP in full alert status. “This means that we have more police visibility in the different areas doing intensified police works,” he said.
He cleared that there is no threat in Baguio City and in the Cordillera region but the police do not discount possibilities such as what occurred in the Davao City bombing which left 14 dead and dozens injured.
“The authorities are on top of the situation. We do not have threat in the Cordillera but we are not taking chances,” Sarona said. “We are just maximizing presence to ensure that everything will go smoothly and peacefully.”
Sarona called on the public not to panic and not to be alarmed of the situation and appealed for more security consciousness from the public./JDP/RMC- PIA CAR
