NCRPO to deploy 9,500 cops for students’ return to in-person classes

MANILA, Philippines – The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will deploy at least 9,500 policemen across Metro Manila to secure students’ return to full in-person classes by November.

NCRPO chief Police Brigadier General Jonnel Estomo on Wednesday said they might adjust the number of police to be sent out after meeting with the different police district directors on Friday.

“Kapag bumalik iyong face-to-face [classes] na iyan, marami tayong ide-deploy pero hindi naman 24 hours. Pagpasok ng mga estudyante natin, nandiyan iyong mga pulis natin. Makikita niyo. Babantayan natin,” he told reporters at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

(When face-to-face classes return, we’ll deploy police officers but not for the entire 24 hours. When students go to school, the police will be there to protect them. You will see it.)

Estomo stressed that police deployment would augment their ongoing crime prevention efforts.

“Gagawin natin as a crime prevention [method]. Kapag sila naman ay lumabas sa mga klase, nandiyan ang mga pulis natin because I presume kapag nasa loob na ng campus, they are safe dahil kahit papaano, meron tayong tiwala sa mga security guard,” he detailed.

(What we’re doing is a crime prevention method. Of course, when classes finish, the police will also be there. But I presume that when students are inside their respective campuses, they will still be safe since we trust that the school security guards protect them.)

Although he admitted that the NCRPO has limited resources, Estomo bared their long-term plan to intensify police visibility in Metro Manila by conducting random police patrols and checkpoints.

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