5,000 Cops, Soldiers to Secure ASEAN Summit Meetings in Cebu

Security preparations have shifted to high gear for Cebu’s hosting next week of the seven finance and defense ministerial meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, an official said.

Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, ground commander for the ASEAN Summit ministerial meetings in Cebu, said some 5,000 policemen, soldiers and other security forces will be deployed during the ministerial meetings.

They will secure the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), major thoroughfares, hotels where the delegates are staying and cell sites of telecommunications companies.

K9 units will also be deployed at the MCIA and the airport in Tagbilaran City in Bohol.

Tagbilaran City will host the 10th Meeting of the ASEAN-Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement (AHKFTA) Trade Negotiating Committee and Related Meetings set on April 18-22.

The Lapu-Lapu City Police Office will deploy some 100 police personnel to secure the ministerial meeting venues in the city, while the Cebu City Police Office will deploy some 200 police officers to secure other venues and hotels.

Five finance-related ministerial meetings will be held simultaneously from April 3-7 in Cebu.

These include the ASEAN Finance and Central Bank Deputies Meeting (AFCDM); ASEAN+3 Finance and Central Bank Deputies Meeting (AFCDM+3); ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting (AFMM); ASEAN Central Bank Governors Meeting (ACGM); and ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting (AFMGM /3-7).

Cebu will also be the venue for the 1st ASEAN Defense Senior Officials’ Meeting (ADSOM) and ADSOM-Plus Meetings that will be held from April 5-7.

The ministerial meetings will precede the 31st ASEAN Summit Leaders’ Meeting at Clark Field, Pampanga on Nov. 10-14.

ASEAN groups the ten countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Cambodia. (PNA)EB/EDS