Full alert up in Luzon for Labor Day

MANILA, Philippines—From heightened alert status, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has placed all its units in Luzon on full alert, a day ahead of anticipated Labor Day rallies Tuesday, its spokesman, Senior Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said Monday.

In a text message to reporters, Cerbo Jr. said PNP units from regions 3 (Central Luzon), 4A (Southern Tagalog), 4B (MIMAROPA), and 5 (Bicol), have been placed on full alert status as preparation against various threat groups that “might take advantage of simultaneous rallies and demonstrations by some militant and cause-oriented groups” as they air their grievances and demands to the government.

The police also called on protest leaders to coordinate with local authorities assigned to places where they wish to stage their protest rallies Tuesday in order to secure proper rally permits, adding that it will impose a “no permit, no rally” policy in keeping with the PNP’s standard operating procedure.

Along with Luzon, police units in regions 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), 10 (Northern Mindanao), 11(Southern Mindanao), 12 (Central Mindanao), 13 (Caraga Region), and ARMM in Mindanao are also in full alert status, as well as the National Capital Region (Metro Manila) and Special Action Force, Cerbo said.

The alert status was raised 8 a.m. Monday, he said.

Another PNP spokesman, Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., said the rest of the police force remains in heightened alert status, but all unit commanders have been given the authority to upgrade their alert level based on the prevailing peace and order situation in their respective areas of responsibility.

He said unit commanders were also reminded to secure all PNP camps and offices, vital installations, economic key points and places of convergence of people.  Jamie Marie Elona