Generally peaceful Holy Week except for drowning incidents, road accidents —PNP

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded at least 30 cases of death by drowning over the entire observance of Holy Week this year.

"[Hanggang] kahapon, ang naitala natin ay 30 na insidente ng pagkalunod at 30 ang mga namatay. 'Yung buong linggo na 'yun," said PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Bernard Banac in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday.

While he did not give further details, Banac said those who drowned were not only children but also adults.

In a separate interview in GMA News TV's Balitanghali Weekend, Banac clarified that the 30 drowning incidents were recorded from April 5 to April 20, 2019.

Road accidents

Aside from these, the PNP has also recorded several vehicular accidents over the past week, including the road crash in Tabuk, Kalinga on Saturday involving an Elf truck that fell off a ravine resulting in the deaths of several people.

Banac reiterated the PNP's advice to the public to be extra careful in their activities as the Holy Week comes to an end and during the summer vacation.

"Mag-ingat tayo sa pagbiyahe at planuhin nang maayos nang sa gayon ay maiwasan natin ang mga vehicular accidents. Maraming mga injured at may mga namatay din. Ito ang ating pakakaingatan," he said.

Generally peaceful Holy Week

Nevertheless, Banac said the observance of Holy Week has been generally peaceful and orderly all over the country.

"Wala tayong natanggap na anumang ulat na mga major incidents o crisis o emergency. Napakaganda ng kalagayan," he said.

"Pero patuloy pa rin ang ating pinapatupad na full alert sa buong bansa. Maging ang Metro Manila, ang buong Mindanao ay naka-full alert," he added. —Erwin Colcol and Dona Magsino/KG, GMA News