Negros Oriental: The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) has strategically deployed 1,400 personnel throughout the province to ensure the safety and security of residents and visitors during the Holy Week celebrations, an official announced on Wednesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lt. Stephen Polinar, the spokesperson for NOPPO, stated that these officers have been drawn from various police stations, excluding units from the Provincial Mobile Force and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion. “We are on full alert status with all police station personnel required to be on duty during the observance of Holy Week starting from Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday,” Polinar emphasized.
The deployed police personnel are tasked with securing key locations such as churches, airports, seaports, passenger terminals for buses and other public transportation, resorts, malls, and other areas where people typically gather. Additionally, the Philippine Army, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Fire Protection are contributing personnel as part of a comprehensive security contingency plan that extends beyond Holy Week to cover the summer vacation and the upcoming May 12 midterm elections.
Polinar further mentioned that police chiefs in the province have been instructed to work closely with local parishes to address specific security needs, particularly on days when large crowds are expected for religious events. These activities include the Visita Iglesia on Holy Thursday evening, the Via Crucis or Way of the Cross Procession at dawn on Good Friday, the Seven Last Words, the Santo Entierro, and the Soledad on Good Friday, as well as the ‘Sugat’ Procession on Easter Sunday, which depicts the meeting of the Risen Christ and His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
He also noted that police assistance desks have been established at key locations and regular patrols are being conducted to maintain security. In addition, nine checkpoints are being operated daily to ensure the safety of the public throughout the observance period.
