No Terrorist Threat For 51st IEC, Says PRO 7 Official

The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 has not monitored any possible terrorist threat for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) which is set to open in Cebu City on Sunday, Jan. 24, an official said.

Sr. Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, who heads the PRO 7 Security Task Group Cebu, said police had not monitored any possible threat from terrorist groups for the IEC.

“Based on our Regional Intelligence Fusion report, we have not monitored any possible threat from any particular group for Central Visayas alone,” Lawas said.

The IEC will start on Jan. 24 with the opening mass at the Plaza Independencia in Cebu City.

The international religious event will run until Jan. 31, with a culminating mass to be held at the South Road Properties expected to gather at least one million participants.

Lawas said the only threat they forsaw on the local level were petty crimes like pickpocketing.

Lawas said the police and security forces were trying to address three challenges, namely, crowd management, traffic management and criminality.

Lawas said more policemen would be deployed around Cebu City starting Thursday, Jan. 21.

Lawas said police officers would be deployed to the streets, with some checkpoints to be conducted in strategic areas.

He said police assistance desks would also be established along the streets and hotels where the delegates stayed.

He said there would be some further security check in some establishments.

Lawas urged the public to report to police suspicious or unusual activities.(PNA) RMA/EB/EDS