By Emme Rose Santiagudo
Around 2,292 police personnel and more than 2,000 force multipliers will be deployed in Iloilo City to ensure the peace and order during the much-anticipated Dinagyang 2020.
Lt. Mercylin Duero, deputy chief for operations of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) said a Task Group Dinagyang composed of several sub-groups and task units was organized to secure the city especially in the center of the main events.
“May ara kami pre-preparations and we coordinated with other agencies for planning for the security. We organized the Task Group Dinagyang and under dira may ara kita site task group and task units wherein kada isa may ulubrahon to ensure the safety of the city all throughout Dinagyang,” she said in a press conference on Wednesday.
According to Duero, they have prepared contingency plans for any untoward incident during the festival.
“We have prepared plans for three major incidents namely bombing, assassination, and hostage taking. Our objective is ma-maintain na no major incident nga matabo during Dinagyang,” she stressed.
Duero warned the public that backpacks will be prohibited in the event center of the festival.
“Gina-prohibit ang carrying of backpacks, carrying of glass bottles in the streets, and other pointed objects. Indi gid kasulod ang mga may backpacks within the activity area,” she said.
Duero added that police personnel will be stationed in the inner control points of the activity areas to conduct inspection.
Aside from this, Duero said police assistant desks will also be established all over the activity area to assist and monitor the crowd.
According to Duero, the challenge for them is the collision and the physical injuries that might happen especially during the merrymaking or “Dagyang sa Calle Real” scheduled on Jan. 25.
“Dira everybody makalakat kag magsagidanay and basi maresulta sa physical injuries but ara man aton police and our intelligence officers will help monitor the crowd,” she said.
Duero said they are anticipating around 1 million people who will join Dinagyang 2020.
