6,000 Cops to Ensure Peace and Order during Holy Week in Central Visayas

At least 6,000 policemen hit the streets in Central Visayas starting Palm Sunday, to ensure peace and order during the observance of Holy Week.

Senior Superintendent Rey Lyndon Lawas, Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division (RISMD) 7 chief, also said the alert status was raised since March 16, the start of the vacation period.

Lawas said the alert status will remain until the third quarter during the start of classes.

“Our preparation is not just for the Holy Week. It started with the summer vacation, including the holidays, the fiestaa in May until the opening of classes,” he said.

In Cebu City, cops will keep a close eye on areas where crowds are expected to gather like in sitio Banawa in Barangay Guadalupe for the Station of the Cross and the stretch from San Nicolas Parish to the Guadalupe Church for the Buhing Kalbaryo, the live reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

“We will start deploying beat patrols in bus terminals,” said Police Supt. Arnel Banzon, deputy chief for administration of the Cebu City Police Office.

Tourists are also expected to flock to Santa Fe town in Bantayan Island.

The Cebu Provincial Police Office has deployed an augmentation force of at least 100 policemen to Bantayan Island to secure the tourists and loval revelers.

Security in churches, wharfs, bus terminals and airports will also be heightened.

Police will also secure the Sugat Kabanhawan on Easter Sunday in Minglanilla town in southern Cebu. (PNA) LAM/ EB