PNP chief asks public’s cooperation amid tight security for ADB meet

PNP chief Dir. Gen. Oscar D. Albayalde. PHOTO by Jhoanna Ballaran / INQUIRER.net

A day after the generally peaceful Labor Day protest, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is now in full swing for security and safety coverage for the annual high-level meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Pasig City.

PNP chief Dir. Gen. Oscar D. Albayalde on Wednesday said 7,700 police personnel have been deployed to the different parts of Metro Manila to secure the 51st ADB Board of Governors’ Annual Meeting 2018 that would be held on May 3 to 6 at the bank’s headquarters in Ortigas.

READ: 7,700 cops to secure annual ADB meet in Pasig

Albayalde appealed to the public for cooperation as the police implement tight security in the venue’s areas.

“We appeal to the public and their cooperation and security measures being implemented,” Albayalde said in a press briefing in Pasig City.

Albayalde said the PNP has applied the major event security framework, which was also applied during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit last year and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) in 2015.

A total of 67 finance and economic ministers and more than 3,000 delegates from different countries, international media, and other private business representatives are set to take part in the four-day meeting.

Department of Finance Asec. Arturo Boncato Jr. said around 4,400 delegates have already arrived over the weekend.

Security Task Force (STF) ADB 2018 Chief Supt. Alfredo Valdez said security teams would be deployed around the venue as well as other billeting areas located in Pasig, Makati, and Taguig.

The police have not yet received any specific threat to the event, Valdez said. /je