By Jennifer P. Rendon
Around 5,500 police officers, soldiers, other law enforcers, and force multipliers will be deployed all over Iloilo City for the Dinagyang Festival 2023.
Lieutenant Colonel Rene Obregon, Dinagyang Festival 2023’s Sub-Site Task Group (SSTG) Venue commander, said the security team will be a combination of organic and augmentation police personnel, members of the Philippine Army, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Public Safety and Traffic Management Office, force multipliers, other volunteer groups, and Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) cadets from various colleges and universities will aid the police in securing the festival.
Obregon said the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 will send around 2,154 police officers while force multipliers will number to 2,152.
Both uniformed and covert police will be mobilized to catch criminals involved in petty crimes and other nefarious activities that could hamper the peace and order situation of the city during the event.
“We will also closely coordinate the with Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) for other security needs,” Obregon said.
Police deployment is expected to start next week as most of the augmentation forces are currently stationed at Aklan province, which will celebrate the Ati-Atihan Festival this week.
Obregon said the deployment would be concentrated on the 12 identification sectors.
Sectors 1-6 are the performing areas and the food festival area while Sectors 7-12 are for the scheduled Dinagyang-related activities, particularly in Mandurriao district.
“Our aim is for zero major crime incidents during this period. We would also be on full alert status to ensure the safety of every Ilonggo and visitor during the festival,” he said.
As this developed, Obregon said they have not monitored any threat group that might sow terror during the celebration.
“Our intelligence units have been on alert and are continuously monitoring the presence of any threat group. That’s part of the security measures that we are undertaking,” he said.
