MANILA, Philippines—Expect wet and rainy weather on Saturday so bring umbrellas and raincoats when visiting your departed loved ones.

This was the advice of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) to the public making the trek to cemeteries for the annual observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 1 and Nov. 2).

Nathaniel Cruz, weather branch chief of Pagasa, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that no tropical cyclone is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this weekend.

However, an intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is affecting parts of Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. “It would be wise to bring raincoats and umbrellas [today],” he said.

According to Pagasa’s website, the ITCZ is expected to persist for the next three days over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao bringing scattered to widespread rain showers and thunderstorms.

On Friday, Metro Manila experienced cloudy skies with light showers just as people started trooping to the cemeteries to spruce up the graves of their departed loved ones.

Sunny in Visayas

Cruz said there could be a break from the wet spell in Visayas and Mindanao on Saturday.

On Sunday, Pagasa said it expects the formation of a low pressure area on the eastern part of Visayas that could bring frequent rains. Luzon could have some good weather with passing light showers mostly on the eastern side.

“There is a possibility of rain,” Cruz said.

Temperatures will range between 22 degrees and 33 degrees centigrade today. The waters in Manila Bay will be slight to moderate.

Operation: Manhunt

Meanwhile, tracker teams of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) will mingle incognito with millions observing All Saints’ Day, hoping to arrest some of the country’s most wanted.

“This is a good time for a manhunt. Wanted persons come out of hiding,” Supt. Isagani Nerez, chief of the PNP- CIDG National Capital Region, said on Friday.

Nerez said crime suspects traditionally let their guard down on holidays like today and Christmas to be with their families which gives the police an “opportune time” to catch them.

“Even the most wanted criminals go home to their provinces to honor their dead loved ones,” Nerez said, noting that special police units had made a number of arrests on Nov. 1 and during the Christmas holidays.

They can’t hide

Without disclosing numbers, he said several arrest teams would be going around the county’s cemeteries today, visiting grave sites traced as the crime suspects’ kin in hopes that they would turn up and light a candle.

“We respect the dead, but we do not respect criminals. They can run but they can’t hide forever,” Nerez said.

Among the country’s most wanted are: Robbery-homicide suspect Jose Maria Sarmiento Panlilio, a suspect in the death of Albert Gutierrez and terror suspects Isnilon Hapilon and Radullah Sahiron, alleged leaders of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group.

There is a P5-million reward for the arrest of each of the suspects.

PNP on full alert

Arresting teams will be among thousands of police officers deployed around cemeteries today as the PNP has been placed on full alert to secure families expected to visit their departed loved ones through the weekend.

In Metro Manila alone, at least 3,000 police officers will be deployed in public and private cemeteries, prominent among them the Manila North Cemetery in Manila and the Manila South Cemetery in Makati City.

PNP chief Jesus Verzosa on Friday ordered regional police directors to secure commuter lanes going to and coming from the provinces.

“Remain visible at all times along travel routes, transport terminals, public cemeteries and other public places to establish police presence in these areas,” Verzosa told his regional chiefs.

For emergencies, those visiting cemeteries this weekend may count on the PNP’s Police Assistance Centers, which will be manned by police officers, local government officials, civilian volunteer and communication groups and motoring clubs.

Limit use of appliances

The Manila Electric Co. has warned the public against bringing too many appliances to cemeteries over the weekend as they may cause power outages.

“We would discourage people to bring their own electrical appliances, such as television, radio, electric fan, coffee maker, water heater and the like. Plugging all these personal appliances may cause the cemeteries’ electrical system to overload, leading to power outages,” Meralco vice president for corporate communication Elpi Cuna said yesterday in a statement.

He likewise advised cemetery administrators to tighten their security to prevent any overloading from happening and to thoroughly check their electrical installations making sure they would be ready to handle the influx of people.

Circuit breakers and switch boxes should be in proper working order, he said, to prevent accidents that could cause the loss of lives and property.

Choose battery-operated

For people who would still bring personal appliances to cemeteries, Cuna made it clear that Meralco would not tolerate any form of electricity pilferage, such as tapping appliances directly to the power firm’s lines and facilities. With reports from Abigail L. Ho and Edson C. Tandoc Jr.