BOTH Cebu City and the Capitol are finalizing their own security preparations for the All Saints’ Day
and All Souls’ Day this week.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said commuters will be assured of a secure Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) once they reserve tickets for their annual trips for the holidays to the province.
In yesterday’s press conference, Garcia said she ordered Capitol security consultant Cesar Veloso to beef up terminal security.
“We expect that plans will be in place not only to secure the passengers but also to ensure the smooth movement of people from the terminal to the buses,” she said.
Garcia said three air-conditioning units were installed in the terminal for the comfort of passengers.
“One thing you could be assured of is that gone are those days when a passenger would suddenly have his bag grabbed by dispatchers,” she said.
Garcia also said she hopes that terminal personnel will discourage passengers from climbing into the windows of buses to avoid being hurt.
She said she will inspect the terminal on Oct. 29.
In Cebu City, the police said they assigned personnel to monitor the automated teller machines ATM) for the presence of robbers.
Chief Insp. Bonifacio Garciano, head of the Cebu City police’s Criminal Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB), said robbers are likely to hang near ATM terminals since banks deposit their collections and workers procure their salaries this week in time for the four-day holiday.
Insp. Rolando Pinili, chief of the Theft and Robbery Section (TRS), said they are also monitoring the presence of robbery syndicates from outside Cebu.
Garciano said they will coordinate with barangay officials and tanods to patrol public and private cemeteries. Correspondents Carmel Loise Matus and Chito Aragon