There is no imminent threat to security ahead of the commemoration of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day in the Philippines, according to the chief of the Philippine National Police.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Director General Ricardo Marquez said the entire PNP was focused on public order and safety, adding that the PNP was on full alert until Monday, Nov. 2.
“So far, we have not received any threat, so we are more focused on public order and public safety,” he said.
Marquez led the inspection of bus terminals, airports, ports and cemeteries in Metro Manila where passengers converged to make their trips to their hometowns.
The police chief inspected the security measures being implemented in these areas for the weekend holiday.
“We would like to make sure that our troops are integrated,” he said, adding that aside from the PNP, other frontline agencies of the government had also been deployed.
The PNP assured the safety of cemetery-goers and commuters, saying policemen had been deployed nationwide in key areas where people were expected to gather during the weekend.
Marquez said fewer passengers had been seen on bus terminals, ports and airports, attributing it to Nov. 2 or All Souls’ Day being a regular working day.
He said, however, that thousands of passengers were expected to head to the provinces during the long weekend of Nov. 17-20 during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) World Economic Forum.
As of Saturday night, the PNP has not recorded any untoward incident related to the celebration of Undas or the Filipinos’ day of commemorating their departed loved ones.
On Sunday, millions of Filipinos are expected to troop to cemeteries all over the country to visit their dead loved ones. Nestor Corrales/RC
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