More than 6,000 Calabarzon police officers to keep peace during ‘Undas’

RESEARCHER FILES

LUCENA CITY — The Regional Police Office 4A (PRO-4A) will do just that apply 6,557 police officers in the Calabarzon region (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) to maintain peace and order during this year’s annual celebration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, or “Ondas.”

“PRO4A is stepping up public security forces to assist the public and ensure overall security, recognizing that the event may be exploited by various threat groups, terrorists and other criminal elements,” the PRO-4A Public Information Office (PIO) said in a press release on Wednesday, October 30.

The law enforcement officers will be deployed to convergence sites, cemeteries, transportation hubs, terminals, seaports and busy arteries to serve as security forces from October 31 to November 3.

The police will be supported by 650 military personnel, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and 5,675 civilians, or ‘force multipliers’, the PIO said.

Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas, PRO-4A Commander, directed all police officers in the region to enhance security operations and implement a comprehensive public safety plan for a safe, secure and orderly observance of the traditional event.

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Lucas stressed the importance of providing protection and assistance to motorists and commuters traveling to the provinces for Undas.

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He said police forces will also be deployed along the Aguinaldo Highway in Cavite, the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in Laguna, the Southern Tagalog Access Road (STAR) in Batangas and other national highways in Rizal and Quezon, which are expected to experience heavy traffic due to the large number of vehicles during the exodus of Undas.

Lucas reminded motorists and travelers that “early preparation and extra caution are the keys to a safe and smooth journey.”

“To ensure the safety and order of everyone, the police will patrol and monitor 24 hours a day with the help of our local government, force multipliers and other colleagues,” Lucas said. INQ