THE police in Northern Mindanao has gone on full alert status and is beefing up security measures in anticipation of possible protest actions and mobilizations by groups opposed to the burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB).
Chief Superintendent Noel Constantino, police director for Northern Mindanao, said he has directed unit commanders to prepare civil disturbance management contingents and preempt mass actions as they are expecting anti-Marcos groups and human rights victims to take their sentiments to the streets.
"The entire region is still on full alert status since the declaration of state of emergency. Security measures were just beefed up in anticipation of possible mass actions," Constantino said.
Constantino said the police is also expected to be visible during rallies to maintain peace and order.
"They have all the rights to peaceably assemble and express their grievances because it is a right guaranteed in the constitution," Constantino said.
Northern Mindanao police spokesperson Superintendent Surki Sereñas also reminded both the police and protesters to respect the law to prevent violent incidents, like what occurred outside the US embassy in Manila.
"Let us all respect the law and remember the golden rule 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'," Sereñas said.
The chief of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo), meanwhile, said they are strengthening security plans in the city to deter spill over incidents with regard to the recent killing of a Maguindanao town mayor by lawmen last October 28.
"Gawas sa pag-secure during rallies, naa pud deteriorating situation sa Soccsksargen tungod sa death atong mayor sa Maguindanao. Dili nato gusto mo expand ang problema dinhi (Aside from security during rallies, we also have deteriorating situation in Soccsksargen due to the death of Maguindanao town mayor. We don’t want to expand the problem here[Cagayan de Oro])," Senior Superintendent Ronnie Francis Cariaga said.
Cariaga said Cocpo will be putting up random checkpoints in various parts of the city.
"Sa atong level atong gire-establish ang checkpoint ang mobile checkpoint. Kabalo ta naa standing order ang presidente but naa reason ngano atong gi-reestablish (In our level, we established a checkpont, a mobile checkpoint. We already know that the president has a standing order [ about dismantling checkpoints nationwide] but we have a reason to establish)," Cariaga said.
Cariaga added the checkpoint will not be 24 hours as the police don’t want to hamper the traffic in the city.
"Dili man hugot ang checkpoint and dili 24 hours on occasional basis lang kay dili nato gusto mabukog ang traffic. Random checkpoint lang (The checkpoint will not be strict and not 24 hours, only occasional basis because we don’t want to hamper the traffic. Random checkpoints only) ," Cariaga added.
