Manila Police District (MPD) Director PBGen. Andre Dizon said that to ensure peace and order during the “Simbang Gabi”, armed and uniformed policemen will be deployed in the 61 Catholic Churches in the city of Manila.
Dizon announced this at the Manila City Hall Reporters’ Association (MACHRA) forum held at the Century Seafood Restaurant, where he said that the deployment of PNP personnel begins at early morning of December 16, specially in big Churches like Quiapo Church, Sto. Nino Church, San Sebastian Church, the Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church and that the cops to be assigned will be armed ‘because we do not know what kind of criminal elements they may encounter.’
“Madaling araw pa lamang ay magde-deploy na kami ng PNP personnel sa 61 Catholic Churches ng mobile patrol. Pinaayos naming lahat ng blinkers in such a way na malayo palang po ang mga miyembro ng komunidad ay makikita na nila na may awtoridad o pulis,” Dizon said, adding that uniformed policemen either on motorycles, mobile cars, bike patrol and even on foot patrol will be deployed in the vicinities of Churches for visibility.
Dizon said the implementation of preparations for the holiday season actually started right after All Saints’ Day and in line with the directives from the President, the Chief PNP and Regional Directors for the police to become more visible to the public at all times.
“Ito ay upang maramdamam, makita at maging significant ang PNP sa community… from foot, bike, motorcycle and mobile patrol, lahat ‘yun ay ipararamdam sa public in such a way na ‘yung police memners ay nasa paligid at handing magbigay ng tulong,” said Dizon.
Dizon also said that the muzzle of the service firearms of policemen will no longer be covered with tape, saying he trusts that the MPD officers and men will voluntarily not engage in indiscriminate firing during the holidays.
The MPD chief said that policemen are already aware of the consequences if they fire their guns indiscriminately and that they also know that some policemen have been dismissed from the service for discharging their guns illegally. (JERRY S. TAN)
