Quezon City police gear up for All Saints’ Day

MANILA, Philippines—The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) has begun security preparations ahead of the expected exodus of people going to the provinces or coming to Quezon City to visit cemeteries on All Saints’ Day.

Police Chief Superintendent George Regis, QCPD district director, announced in a press briefing the deployment of 2,821 security personnel in various locations in Quezon City, focused around cemeteries, columbarium and transportation hubs.

Three Task Force groups under the name “Kaluluwa” have been created—Task Force Kaluluwa-Alpha will handle all anti-criminality operations, Task Force Kaluluwa-Bravo will be in charge of security operations in cemeteries and columbarium, and Task Force Kaluluwa-Charlie that will secure transportation hubs such as bus terminals and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations.

The task force groups are composed of various units from the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Mobile Anti-Street Crime Operative (MASCO), Mobile Patrol Units (MPU), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Local Police Stations, Security Guards, reinforcements from the Philippine National Police Head Office in Camp Crame, among others.

“Hundreds of Quezon City (QC) police officers, traffic enforcers, QC Department of Public Order and Safety [officers] and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) [officers] will be mobilized to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and maintain peace and order for these occasions,” Regis said in a statement.

Police Assistance Desks (PAD) will be put up in all key locations that will see a mass of people. Deployment of security forces at bus terminals and MRT and LRT stations will begin on October 27 while police will begin initial deployment at cemeteries and columbarium on October 29.

About 217,000 people are expected to visit cemeteries all over the city, 60,000 of whom are expected to visit the Himlayang Pilipino Memorial Park near Tandang Sora Avenue.

Police are increasing security to ensure that criminal elements and various threat groups will not be able to take advantage of the increased mass of people, as well as to ensure efficient management of traffic in key areas.

The QCPD will also distribute leaflets with tips on how to be secure and vital contact information of police should any incidents occur.

Police will be deployed in the key areas up to November 3.