The Manila Police District (MPD) yesterday will deploy more policemen along major roads, and commercial areas and establishments in the city of Manila starting on Nov. 30.
MPD Director Chief Supt. Joel Coronel said the deployment of additional police personnel will concentrate in Binondo, Divisoria, Ermita and Malate.
“As with the previous years, we will put up police assistance desks in the malls and other public places where anyone who needs emergency help can go, and, of course, this will serve as deterrent to criminals,” he said.
Coronel said the hundreds of police personnel deployed in the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit will also be the same ones to be deployed in these areas.
“There are almost one million shoppers who have visited Divisoria, around 700,000 already during the last weekend – Saturday and Sunday, for their early Christmas shopping,” Coronel said.
He also reminded the public to take care of their valuables and, as much as possible, refrain from wearing expensive jewelry when going to crowded shopping places, especially in Divisoria.
Earlier, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Oscar Albayalde warned the public against members of criminal groups that have been going around commercial centers, shopping malls, and other crowded areas in Metro Manila to prey on unsuspecting victims as Christmas season draws near.
Albayalde ordered all district commanders – Central Police District, Northern Police District, Southern Police District, Eastern Police District and MPD – to double their alert status in their respective areas of jurisdiction in anticipation of possible crimes to happen this holiday.
The NCRPO chief also alerted the public about the various modus operandi of criminal groups such as Salisi Gang, Laglag-Barya Gang, Tutok-Kalawit Gang, Ipit-Taxi Gang, Budol-Budol, Condo Criminals, Riles Gang and the so-called “Sneaky Office Intruders” that prey on workplaces with little or no security.
