PNP: 56 dead, 128 injured in various incidents during 1st 3 weeks of April

PNP chief Police Gen. Oscar Albayalde. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Fifty-six people have died while 128 others were injured due to various incidents during the start of April until the Holy Week break, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde said on Monday.

According to Albayalde, the deaths were the result of 88 untoward incidents across the country and 45 of which were due to drowning.

The data covers April 5 to 21, PNP spokesperson Col. Bernard Banac, told INQUIRER.net in a text message.

“This serves as an eye opener, possibly for agencies and organizations involved in promoting personal safety to initiate programs to develop basic drown-proofing and swimming skills as part of physical education curriculum in schools,” Albayalde said in a press conference at Camp Crame.

He added that the data also boost the need to further enhance road safety awareness and continuous review of road engineering features and design to minimize accidents.

Except for “isolated cases,” Albayalde said that the observance of the Holy Week was generally peaceful, without any significant untoward incident that concerns national emergency.

He also said that 24,779 police officers remain deployed in 4,732 police assistance centers in strategic locations along the main thoroughfares and mass transportation terminals to assist travelers returning to urban areas from the long Holy Week holiday.

“Although alert conditions in some regions have been considerably downgraded, and the NHQ Reactionary Standby Support Force (RSSF) for SUMVAC 2019 has been deactivated, the order of the National Headquarters to personnel manning the Police Assistance Centers is to remain in their posts until after all travelers have returned to their destinations,” Albayalde said. /jpv

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