Expect more personnel at checkpoints as military beefs up PNP

Expect more police and military personnel  to be at checkpoints around the country, the Philippine National  Police said on Friday.

Chief Superintendent Camilo Cascolan, the PNP director for operations, said there would be 12 to 16 security personnel, including four to eight from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“The chief PNP [Director General Ronald dela Rosa] has already directed everybody to have joint checkpoints, combined with the AFP at PNP so hindi lang Army, Marines kundi pati Coastguard ay kasama din sa checkpojnts na yan,” Cascolan said.

“We require them all AFP and PNP should be visible on the streets in the checkpoints so that people will see that they really are being secured and we care about their safety,” he added.

Cascolan said motorists are not required to open the glove box or the trunk when their vehicles go through the checkpoints but Cacolan said it was preferable that they do.

“Hindi ho namin kayo pwede pilitin na buksan ‘yan pero pinakamaigi po talaga na buksan n’yo kasi kung di n’yo bubuksan ay yung aming suspetsa na baka ho kayo may itinatago sa compartment,” Cascolan said.

In a press statement, PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said Dela Rosa ordered the intensified checkpoint operations to protect key cities and urban centers from terrorist activity.

He said the PNP chief instructed all local PNP commanders to coordinate with their local AFP counterparts for the needed augmentation forces.

Cascolan said police intelligence units and personnel are likewise required to double their efforts in intelligence gathering to ensure that similar incidents relative to the recent Davao City explosion will not be carried out by.

Dela Rosa earlier appealed to the public to cooperate with law enforcers during the conduct of checkpoints so as to hasten the process.

He also assured the public that PNP and AFP personnel manning checkpoints will adhere to policies and procedures and will uphold their basic rights.

Dela Rosa further reminded the PNP units and personnel to conduct checkpoints operations according to the general guidelines prescribed in the Revised Police Operational Procedures that require checkpoints to be established in well-lighted areas and personnel must be in complete uniform with their nameplates visible.

He also urged PNP and AFP personnel manning checkpoints to be courteous in dealing with motorists.

On the other hand, National Capital Region Police Office director Chief Superintendent Oscar Albayalde all Explosives and Ordnance Division, K9 and SWAT units to be on their toes 24/7, while reiterating his order on stepping up police operations and double security measures.

He also directed the Special Reaction Unit team to conduct inspection and implementation of protocol on bomb threats in schools in response to the  call of the Department of Education.

Albayalde ordered the SRU team to coordinate with the authorities of schools and universities for a collaborative effort in increasing student awareness on managing bomb threat and to remind the students the consequences and implications of spreading bomb jokes.

The NCRPO also added covert operatives as bus marshalls to the already existing overt marshalls to double the efforts in securing commuters.

Albayalde reminded the public to remain calm but be vigilant at all times.

“The police is on top of the situation. However, we request that any information, any observation must be reported immediately to the nearest police stations so that we can respond correctly and appropriately,” he said.

Albayalde said the public can reach NCRPO and police stations through the following hotlines: 

NCRPO 838-3203, text hotlines: 0917-708-1135 or 0917-856-1040,

Northern Police District 285-2396 / 285-2838, text hotline: 0917-847-5757, 0905 - 454 – 2547, 0916-558-2419,

Eastern Police District 641-0171/641-0877, text hotlines: 0915-888-8181/0999-901-8181/ 0917 – 728 – 3790,

Manila Police District 523-1367 / 523-3378 text hotlines: 0919 – 995 – 0976 / 0917 – 899 – 2092,

Southern Police District 519-5525 / 519-8644 text hotline: 0908 – 377 – 0025,  and

Quezon City Police District 925-8417/ 0917 – 840– 3925 text hotline 0995-645-1999/ 0919-496-7833 or

Through social media: Twitter@ncrporeact or facebook page @ NCRPOReact. —NB, GMA News