Iloilo PNP eyes zero major incidents during holidays

By: Jennifer P. Rendon

Zero major incidents will be Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s (IPPO) main aim during the Holiday Season.

On Sunday, Dec. 15, the IPPO placed all its units on full alert status.

As such, “all personnel must be rendering duty and must stay in station 24/7,” Police Colonel Roland Vilela, Iloilo police chief, said.

The declaration also means that all leaves of absence of IPPO personnel are cancelled, except those who are on maternity and sick leaves.

Vilela said the full alert intends to strengthen the security measures against criminal elements who might take advantage of the holidays.

Personnel should intensify their police visibility in churches, plazas, and highways, as the Simbang Gabi already started.

Vilela also directed all chiefs of police to maximize their implementation of the PNP’s Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO) to intensify security operations as per PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa’s memorandum circular “Paskuhan” 2019.

“Kailangan nakabantay ang ating kapulisan sa mga kanto, terminal, simbahan, plaza, at sa iba pang matao na lugar,” Vilela said.

With preparations already mapped out, Vilela said they would work further to ensure that no major crime incident happens.

But he added, “the most important factor for the success of our peace and order efforts would be the cooperation and support of the public. Kailangan ang bawat isa ay maging mapagmatyag at makipagtulungan sa kapulisan laban sa kriminalidad.”

Meanwhile, aside from churches and other areas of convergence, the IPPO’s deployment scheme would also include community firecracker zones, assistance hubs, seaports, airports, and the likes.