MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) will deploy “enough” force on the ground to ensure the public safety and peace and order during the Labor Day celebrations on Wednesday.
“While Labor Day is supposed to be celebrated to pay fitting tribute to Filipino workforce, it has been historically marred by protest actions and public assemblies, often initiated by militant labor and cause-oriented groups,” PNP chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde told reporters in a press briefing Monday.
He said the Directorial Staff convened for a staff conference on various matters, including security preparations for the nationwide observance of Labor Day on May 1.
Albayalde said the sizable security contingent will be fielded to ensure order and security in all places of engagement while policy of maximum tolerance will be strictly observed by police security forces.
“Consistent with national policy, the PNP will support all lawful and peaceful activities in commemoration of Labor Day, but only within the bounds the law,” he noted.
Albayalde enjoined those who will join the rally to be vigilant and alert at all times.
"We are warning the public. Many of them want to sow chaos or others to be hurt. They will take advantage of that situation. That's how it is. Not all of these groups participating in rallies are cause-oriented. Some of them just want to spark trouble and some are even armed," Albayalde added.
Meanwhile, Albayalde slammed the statement of the activist group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) after they tagged the PNP as among the government agencies that is “anti-worker.”
“How can they say that we are anti-worker? They might be the ones who are ‘anti-worker’. You know why? Why do investors pull out from the country? This KMU will penetrate the union of a company and then they will hold rallies. The investor will become frustrated and will then leave. What happens next? Who loses jobs? Our fellow Filipinos,” he told reporters when sought for a comment.
Albayalde also scored militant groups for blaming the government on the lack of investment opportunities in the country, when it is actually them who are driving away investors through their actions.
Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, National Capital Region Police (NCRPO) chief, said that a maximum tolerance policy will be implemented on Wednesday, provided that protesters have an approved permit from the local government unit.
“We, the policemen are only doing our jobs to enforce the law, to maintain peace and order and to make every community a safer place to live, work and do business. The Team-NCRPO assures the public that we will strictly observe maximum tolerance and respect human rights while performing our tasks,” Eleazar told the Philippines News Agency in a phone interview.
He said strategic plan will be implemented to help ensure that deployment of the 8,400 police personnel will effectively cover various aspects of police operations such as traffic management, civil disturbance management, anti-criminality, and counter-terrorism, emergency response and other necessary measures for an orderly, peaceful and successful event.
Eleazar also appealed to the public to be alert and report to the police any suspicious person or behavior and any untoward incidents or crimes through the NCRPO hotline 0915-888-8181 or 0999-901-8181.
“Rest assured that Team NCRPO will be prepared and will do its best, to meet the expectations of the PNP chief as well as the general public that this event will be orderly and peaceful,” he stressed. (PNA)
