NO FLY ZONE Aircraft and drones can’t fly over New Clark City on closing day of the Southeast Asian Games. TRISTAN TAMAYO/INQUIRER.NET
A gun ban will be enforced in La Union province, Central Luzon, Metro Manila and Calabarzon starting today until Dec. 14 as part of the security measures for the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) that the country is hosting.
Some 10,000 athletes from Asia will compete in the games to be held in different venues in these four areas from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1. (See related story on Page A5.)
The Philippine National Police officer in charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, has issued a memorandum suspending permits to carry firearms outside of one’s residence for 24 days starting today.
Policemen, soldiers and law enforcers assigned to the games are exempted from the ban.
About 1,100 policemen will secure Ciudad De Victoria facilities, including the Philippine Arena in Bocaue town, Bulacan province, the venue of the opening ceremony.
Police Brig. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia, the acting Central Luzon police chief, said more than 6,000 police personnel would be deployed to venues in the region, including Subic Bay Freeport.
“We would like to ensure activities to be free from firearms-related incident and to assure the safety of all local and foreign delegates,” Gamboa said.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has notified airmen about the “no-fly zones” in the Philippine Arena in Bulacan on opening day and in New Clark City in Pampanga on closing day.
The CAAP said the notices to airmen (Notams) would restrict all aircraft operations within 6 kilometers (3 nautical miles) and restrict general aviation flights within 40 nautical miles of the Philippine Arena and New Clark City from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The “no-fly zones” also include restrictions on the operation of unmanned aircraft vehicles or drones, the CAAP added.
Airline operations at Clark International Airport will not be affected by the Notams.—REPORTS FROM CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE, TONETTE OREJAS, JOANNA ROSE AGLIBOT AND JEROME ANING