QC cops give residents Holy Week safety tips
Residents in Quezon City were awoken by policemen and local government officials giving out flyers on Holy Week safety in Barangay Teachers’ Village East houses on Wednesday morning.
Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Joel Pagdilao and Police Community Relations Group Chief Superintendent Nestor Quinsay Jr. led a group of policemen go from house to house giving residents preventive tips against criminals who will take advantage of their unattended homes during the Holy Week break.
READ: PNP gives tips on keeping yourselves, homes safe during Holy Week
PCRG’s police mascot “PO1 Matapat” joined Pagdilao and Quinsay in handing out colorful flyers on basic crime prevention tips along Maginhawa and Matimtiman Streets.
While the police officials distributed flyers, policemen also took turns in announcing over megaphones the PNP’s security precautions for residents who will leave their homes for vacation.
Aurora Mathay, one of the residents policemen approached, said the house-to-house information drive was “a good move” for the Quezon City police.
Cops from the Quezon City Police District and mascot PO1 Matapat made the rounds in Teachers Village Wednesday to remind the residents on how they can keep their homes safe during the Holy Week. PHOTO BY NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net
“Kapag medyo matatanda na kasi nakakalimutan na (The older residents tend to forget these things). I hope they continue this and even go beyond these things,” Mathay told reporters.
Santi Manlongan, a staff of a laundry shop, was among those who were given crime prevention leaflets. He said the campaign of the QCPD drives away thieves along Maginhawa St.
“Effective ito lalo dito sa amin kasi dati, maraming Basag-Kotse Gang dito sa Maginhawa eh. Kapag may pulis d’yan, natatakot sila,” Manlongan told INQUIRER.net.
(Police presence is effective here because there used to be a lot of Basag-Kotse Gang members here along Maginhawa. If there are police doing their rounds, they get scared.)
Police advised residents that before leaving their homes, they need to make sure all their doors and windows are locked and to shut off gas stoves, lights and electric appliances.
In the leaflet, the PNP urged homeowners to install burglar alarms and closed-circuit television cameras for their security.
READ: PNP: Don’t tip thieves off on FB
It also recommended the public to ask a neighbor or a village official to look after their homes while they are away on vacation.
Barangay chairwoman Lolita Singson assured that all security personnel in their village can be trusted.
“We thoroughly screen our village security officers so it’s safe to ask them to secure your property,” Singson said.
For the “24/7 presence” of policemen in Teachers’ Village, few meters away from the QCPD’s headquarters in Camp Karingal, Singson thanked the QC police.
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa kanila kasi active sila. Talagang umiikot sila 24/7 lalo na sa amin na maraming students na kumakain sa labas,” she said.
(We thank them because they are really active. They really do their rounds 24/7 especially here where there are many students eating in restaurants.)
In an interview after doing the rounds, Pagdilao said the QCPD’s campaign is part of the PNP’s anti-crime strategy Oplan Lambat-Sibat.
“This week, mas marami ang iikutin natin (We will do more rounds this week). This will be held simultaneously in all QCPD units,” he said.
Pagdilao urged the people to report any suspicious activity immediately to the Department of Interior and Local Government’s hotline 117. IDL
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