660 Police, Military Personnel To Secure Cebu Presidential Debate On March 20

A total of 660 police and military officers will be deployed to secure the second leg of presidential debates in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City on Sunday, March 20.

Senior Superintendent Rey Lyndon Lawas, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 deputy director for operations, said their biggest concern is how to manage the crowd and the supporters of presidential candidates.

This presidential candidates are Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Grace Poe, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago and former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.

Each of the candidates is allowed to bring 200 supporters to the venue.

More than 600 police officers and 60 army personnel, Lawas said, will handle the security for the crowd, the route of the candidates, the traffic and the venue, which is the grounds of University of the Philippines (UP) and its Performing Arts Hall.

Close-in security will be provided to the candidates, Lawas said.

He said bomb squad and bomb-sniffing dogs will also be tapped to detect any possible threat on the event.

Lawas said they will meet Friday with the officials of UP Cebu and media outfit TV5 tasked by the Commission on Elections to broadcast the debate. (PNA) JBP/EB/EBP