Metro Manila police on full alert for ‘Edsa Tayo’ rally

Edsa Shrine. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The National Capital Region Police Office has placed all of its police offices under full alert status in anticipation of the antipork barrel rally in Quezon City on Wednesday.

Police Chief Superintendent Marcelo Poyaoan Garbo Jr. said the highest alert was placed in the entire NCRPO at 6 a.m. Wednesday, while the Eastern Police District and NCRPO’s Regional Public Safety Battalion shifted to full alert at 9 p.m. Monday.

He said around 3,000 police officers from the NCRPO, excluding the augmentation from National Support Units and from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, will be deployed to the prayer rally and vigil tagged “Edsa Tayo” at the Edsa Shrine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Police officers to be deployed will concentrate along Edsa and were tasked to implement crowd control, secure public safety, as well as main thoroughfares, places of convergence and vital installations, against possible criminal activities and acts of terrorism.

They are also tasked to assist MMDA in traffic monitoring and control.

Moreover, Garbo instructed all district directors to intensify the intelligence and counter-intelligence operations, and to strengthen the conduct of checkpoints on the entry-exit to the Edsa Shrine and Metro Manila.

“Let us implement maximum tolerance. But let us remain on our feet, constantly alert and vigilant to pre-empt any untoward incident that the would-be criminals may take advantage of, and ensure the safety of everyone involved in this event,” Garbo earlier said.