Police, military tighten Holy Week security in Zambo Sur

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?&sid=6&pfn=749975&arch=1&go=Go&search_arch=Pagadian%20City,%20Zamboanga%20del%20Sur&andor=and&mdte_arch=4&ddte_arch=0&ydte_arch=2015

Police assistance desk at San Jose Parish Church

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, April 2 (PNA) – The police in coordination with the Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion have tightened the security measures to ensure the protection of the catholic faithful during the Holy Week activities.

Supt. Glenn Dulawan, city police chief, said that he assigned policemen at churches, including the Sto. Niño Cathedral, that are the centers of the religious activities from Maundy Thursday until Easter Sunday.

The other churches that are center of the religious activities aside from the Cathedral are the parish Church of San Jose, Balangasan, and San Pedro.

Dulawan said the detailed policemen are backed by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team.

Dulawan said that soldiers were also deployed in the different areas of this city.

He said policemen and EOD team were deployed at the Integrated Bus Terminal to ensure the safety of the passengers from and to the neighboring cities of Cotabato, Dipolog, Iligan, Ozamis, and Zamboanga.

Sto Niño Cathedral entrance

Sto. Niño Cathedral Entrance

Pagadian City Integrated Bus Terminal (IBT)

He said they did not discount the possibility of spill over of incidents since there were on-going law enforcement operations in the neighboring provinces although this city was relatively peaceful.

He also warned against the conduct of gambling activities such as clandestine cockfight citing Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are for religious activities and not for gambling.

Meanwhile, Senior Supt. Sofronio Ecladre, provincial police director, said checkpoints were also established along the highways leading to this province.

Ecaldre said the setting of checkpoints was in anticipation of any diversionary tactics the lawless elements might initiate since they were continuously being pursued in the nearby provinces. (PNA)
RMA/TPGJR/HIROHITO D. CADION