Police officers attend the Simultaneous Oath-Taking and Donning of Ranks of 2nd Level Uniformed Personnel (PCpl-PMAJ) under the CY 2022 Regular Promotion program at the Manila Police District headquarters in Manila on January 10, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
PNP to exercise 'maximum tolerance' at participating drivers
MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) will be on heightened alert starting midnight of Monday to prepare for the weeklong strike nationwide, an official said on Sunday.
PNP Spokesperson PCol. Jean Fajardo said this means 80 percent of their personnel will be on standby. Around 18,000 cops in the capital region are ready to be deployed "as needed," she said.
"Lahat ng available resources ng PNP ay ilalabas, at pati na rin ang ating mga personnel na nagre-render ng admin duties ay ilalabas natin yan at ide-deploy sa pangunahing kalsada," Fajardo told ABS-CBN News in an interview.
Cops, said the official, will also be stationed in public transport terminals and in locations where free rides will be available to ferry passengers.
"Pati na rin 'yung mga sakayan kung saan natin ipupwesto yung mga ipapahiram na patrol pati ang mga sasakyan, buses, at trucks, na mangagaling sa governments units ay lalagyan natin ng pulis para doon sa mga kababayan natin na mag-aavail ng libreng sakay ay ma-escort," she said.
Maximum tolerance, she said, will also be exercised at participating public transport drivers and operators.
"Sa mga nagpaplanong magsagawa ng rally at protest action ay magpo-provide pa rin tayo ng mga security hidni lamang sa ating. mga ordinaryong mamamayan kundi pati na rin doon sa mga gagawa ng rally para maproteksyonan ang kanilang hanay," she said.
"Alam natin na mataas ang atensyon sa ganyang pagtitipon ay magpapatupad tayo ng maximum tolerance sat pipilitin natin. maging mahinahon sa pag-eengage sa mga magra-rally bukas," Fajardo added.
Malacañang has said the PNP will send out 60 vehicles to help stranded passengers but Fajardo said these would only be made available depending on the need.
Thousands of drivers and operators from Manibela and Piston are reportedly going to join the strike from March 6 to 12 to express their disapproval of the jeepney phaseout, prompting several localities in the Metro Manila to suspend classes.
MMDA said it would field 25 vehicles that could serve around 1,200 passengers for their free rides, while over 2,000 traffic enforcers will also be deployed in anticipation of the strike.
Around 100 personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense and 30 vehicles would also be deployed next week through the inter-agency monitoring team for the transport strike.