NCRPO acting chief Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas. (PNA photo by Lloyd Caliwan)
MANILA -- The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will place Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City on full alert on December 18 to 19 as part of security measures for the Maguindanao massacre promulgation.
Under a full alert status, all leave applications of police personnel have been canceled to ensure that they are present.
NCRPO acting chief, Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, meanwhile, said the Taguig City police will be on alert.
About 730 police officers will be deployed at the camp’s vicinity to strengthen security for the event.
The NCRPO also assured the security of the judge and the prosecutor of the case.
"We provided close-in security with the judge. We also provided bulletproof na sasakyan (a bulletproof vehicle)," Sinas told the reporters in a press briefing at the Quezon City Police District Station 10.
He clarified that the security measures for the judge and prosecutor would not stop on the day of the promulgation but would continue until they feel "normal".
Sinas said no threat has so far been monitored.
"Wala pa po kaming natanggap na threat (We have not received any threat and on our part are) preparation and visible deployment to protect," he added.
Sinas said he has already spoken with Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta and Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes regarding security concerns in the promulgation.
Solis-Reyes, Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 221 of Quezon City, is handling the case.
The NCRPO has already coordinated with the Special Action Force (SAF) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and agreed to implement a lockdown inside the camp from December 18 to 19.
“Everyone should abide (by) our camp’s rules and regulations. Our Civil Disturbance Management contingents are also ready for any possible demonstration of the militant groups,” he added.
Rallying is not allowed in front of Camp Bagong Diwa so as not to disrupt the flow of traffic, Sinas said.
He also cleared that signal jamming would not be implemented.
"We discussed (this) with judges. It is (more) harmful than good," Sinas said, adding that the Ampatuan and Mangudadatu families have not sought security from them.
On the other hand, supporters of both Ampatuan and the victims of the massacre would stay in separate areas outside the camp to prevent any untoward incident between them.
On Thursday, Sinas said conferences were conducted between the PNP and other concerned agencies to ensure operational readiness on the day of the promulgation.
“This is our move to brace and equip our force, especially Team NCRPO, in maintaining peace and order, as well as ensure public safety and internal security on its D-day as a way to counter any possible threat,” he said.
The promulgation on December 19 will involve the accused masterminds of the massacre led by brothers former Datu Unsay, Maguindanao Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan.
The family patriarch, the late Maguindanao governor Andal Sr., was also among the principal suspects but died in detention in July 2015.
The suspects were charged with multiple murders for planning and direct participation in the massacre in Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao.
The Maguindanao massacre is one of the cases in the inventory of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security as 32 of those killed were journalists accompanying the convoy on their way to Shariff Aguak town to file the certificate of candidacy of then Maguindanao gubernatorial candidate Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu.
The convoy was ambushed by about a hundred armed men. (PNA)
