NCRPO braces for Christmas exodus

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has already made the necessary preparations to ensure that travellers will have a safe journey to their home provinces this Christmas season, its head officer said on Thursday.

Interviewed on GMA News TV's Balitanghali, NCRPO head Chief Superintendent Oscar Albayalde said they have already installed police help desks and other safety measures around Metro Manila.

“Meron po tayong mga nakatalagang EOD (Explosives and Ordnance Division) K-9, meron po tayong mga police assistance desks and all over dito sa Quezon City area, meron po tayong deployment na 2,035 na warm bodies,” Albayalde said.

“Wala pa po doon 'yung ating mga augmentation na bagong recruit o mga bagong PO1 na 150 per district,” he added.

The NCRPO chief noted that although they have not received threats from terrorist groups yet, a full alert status is still raised around the metro.

“We maintain our full alert status kaya po natin kinansela 'yung Christmas and New Year break ng ating mga kapulisan to ensure our maximum deployment sa mga places of convergence, lalong-lalo na po sa mga malls at mga bus terminals at open markets,” Albayalde said.

Three days before Christmas, passengers continue to arrive at bus terminals in an attempt to make it to their home provinces ahead of the holiday.

With this, Albayalde advised the public to be more cautious especially when going to public places.

“Kailangan pa rin po nating maging mapagmasid at maging alerto. 'Yung mga shoppers po natin, 'wag na po tayong magbitbit ng maliliit na bata sapagkat may mga incidence po ng missing children,” he said. 

“Huwag na po tayong magsusuot ng mamahaling alahas dahil baka makaakit pa ng kawatan ang mga bitbit o suot-suot nating mga alahas,” he added. — Erwin Colcol/RSJ, GMA News