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BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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Tuesday, January 17, 2017
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ILOILO City – The police is imposing a three-day gun ban beginning Jan. 20 to ensure peace and order when the city stages the Dinagyang Festival this Saturday and Sunday.
General Ronald Dela Rosa, director of the Philippine National Police, approved the suspension of PTCFOR (permit to carry firearms outside of residence).
The suspension covers civilian gun holders and government forces not in proper uniform.
“Gun ban violators will be jailed,” said Senior Inspector Shella Mae Sangrines, city police spokesperson.
The ICPO is mobilizing “thousands” of policemen and tapping the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law enforcement agencies – National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Philippine Coast Guard – to keep Dinagyang revelers safe, she added.
Dinagyang’s Kasadyahan cultural contest will be held on Jan. 21. The ati-ati tribes competition is on Jan. 22.
“For security purposes, we’re not disclosing the number of personnel we are mobilizing. But we have enough,” said Sangrines.
ICPO is also utilizing “force multipliers” such as the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams, village watchmen, students taking up the National Service Training Program, police interns, medical volunteers,
Meanwhile, Sangrines said there was no plan to jam cell phone signals during the Dinagyang festivities.
In several incidents in Mindanao, including the Davao City bombing in September last year, suspected terrorists detonated improvised explosive devices using cell phone signals.
The ICPO has not monitored Dinagyang-related security threats, said Sangrines.
“Some sectors here may have expressed concern about it perhaps due to the recent Black Nazarene feast security measures in Manila. But no, we don’t even have the equipment to jam cell phone signals,” said Sangrines./PN
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