By Jennifer P. Rendon
Hundreds of Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) personnel temporarily set aside their guns and uniform and took the role of rescuers as Typhoon Quinta (international name: Molave) pummeled Western Visayas with heavy rains.
The Regional Tactical Operations Center (RTOC) data showed that PRO-6 has deployed 319 search and rescue personnel in typhoon-affected areas as of 12 noon October 26.
Antique province deployed the most number of police rescuers at 152.
Early Monday morning, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 2 was hoisted over the extreme northern portion of Antique (Caluya) while the rest of the northern portion of Antique (Laua-An, Barbaza, Tibiao, Culasi, Sebaste, Pandan, Libertad) was placed under TCWS no. 1.
Aklan, Capiz, and the northern portion of Iloilo (Lemery, Sara, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Carles, Balasan) were also placed under Signal No. 1.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental deployed 124 policemen in search and rescue efforts; 30 in Capiz; and 13 in Iloilo City.
Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson, said that 22 other PRO-6 personnel were deployed to secure evacuation centers in the provinces of Capiz, Negros Occidental and Antique.
On the other hand, two police officers were deployed to secure vacated areas in Antique.
Malong added that PRO-6 has 1,133 more personnel ready to be deployed, if the situation aggravates.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas, assured the public that PRO-6 personnel could readily be deployed in times of disasters, emergencies or calamities, in cooperation with the local government units and the barangays.
“It is in this trying time that we want you to feel the presence of your police officers,” Pamuspusan said.
