Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada has ordered the city police to heighten security measures ahead of the Eid’l Fitr festivities this weekend to ward off potential plans by militants to launch attacks on vital facilities in the capital city.
Estrada said he has been assured by the Manila Police District that a sufficient number of police personnel will be assigned to secure the city, particularly on Sunday when Muslims hold an overnight prayer rally at Rizal Park.
“We don’t expect any major security threat in the city but to be sure, we will implement stringent security measures to maintain peace and order,” Estrada said at the sidelines of the awarding ceremonies for outstanding barangay officials at the Manila Hotel on Wednesday.
Estrada said police must remain vigilant throughout the festivities by taking preventive measures and preparing for a quick response should terrorist cells and criminal organizations make any move.
Malacañang declared June 26, Monday, a regular holiday for Eid’l Fitr, which marks the end of the Ramadan fasting month.
Under Republic Act 9177, Eid’l Fitr or the Feast of Ramadan is a regular holiday throughout the country.
President Rodrigo Duterte, through Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, said that it is necessary to declare June 26 a regular holiday to bring the religious and cultural significance of the Muslim celebration.
Article 169 of the 1977 Presidential Decree 1083 states that Eid’l Fitr is recognized as one of the legal Muslim holidays.
MPD director Chief Supt. Joel Coronel said a strong contingent of 2,400 policemen have been assigned to protect the city, as well as the prayer rally at Rizal Park that will begin on the evening of June 25, Sunday, up to the morning of June 26, Monday.
“We’re going to secure the prayer activity for our Muslim brothers who will be celebrating the end of Ramadan. We have assigned 2,400 policemen in this activity, to include area and perimeter security and traffic management,” Coronel said.
Of the 2,400 policemen, 500 will specifically secure the Quirino Grandstand and the Golden Mosque in Quiapo.
MPD public information chief Supt. Edwin Margarejo said policemen will be deployed as early as 4 a.m. for the prayers which will start at 5 a.m. and end at 9 a.m.
Plain clothes officers will be deployed as early as Saturday or Sunday to help in intelligence gathering and support special reaction units.
“Influx of religious Muslim personalities are expected to celebrate the festivities and the congressional prayers. We will be deploying more than 500 police personnel,” Margarejo said during a press briefing.
“Aside from that, we will place advanced command posts. We will issue a traffic advisory by Sunday. We will also deploy ambulance or help units in the area of activities,” Margarejo said.
The MPD expects more than 2,000 people to attend the festivities and congregate at the two venues.
“Last time, more or less, 2,000 participated. So, we expect even more this year,” he said.
The police remain on full alert status, ready to act against any threat although no report of any threat has been received as of this posting.
“We did not receive any, but this will serve as a challenge for the MPD to strengthen the police visibility, target hardening and intelligence gathering,” said Margarejo.
As directed by Estrada, Coronel said the MPD has increased the monitoring of militant groups and has readied its units to counter potential terrorist threats, especially in key locations such as the Quiapo Muslim community, the Grand Mosque, and other places of worship.
On Wednesday, Estrada sought to calm down the public’s anxiety over the leaked memorandum of the Valenzuela City police on the supposed plan of Maute group to conduct bombings in Metro Manila, including Quiapo.
“The likelihood of an imminent threat is very, very minimal here in the City of Manila, so there’s nothing to worry about,” Estrada said.
On Monday, a copy of the alleged memorandum from the Station Intelligence Branch of the Valenzuela City Police Station revealing the purported plan of the Maute group to bomb several locations in Metro Manila were circulated in Facebook.
The one-page memorandum dated June 16, 2017 and with a subject line “Plan Bombing in Metro Manila” stated that Maute group led by Mambang Maute and Abu Hidaya Maute are “planning to conduct bombings in Trinoma, Quezon City, SM Cubao, Quezon City Circle, certain places in Quiapo and Makati.”
Signed by one Chief Insp. Jowilouie Bonaobra Bilaro, SIB chief, it directed the Police Community Precinct commanders to “please take appropriate action, initiate counter security measures to prevent government casualty and attacks from the enemy, particularly PNP stations/AFP units and vital installations in your respective AORs [area of responsibility].”
Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment has reminded private sector employers to observe overtime pay rules on Eid’l Fitr, June 26.
“As the Filipino nation unites with the Muslim community in celebration of the Feast of Ramadan, we are reminding employers to comply with general labor standards, particularly with the proper payment of wages,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.
Bello issued Labor Advisory No. 8, Series of 2017 prescribing the following pay rules for Monday:
If the employee did not work, he/she shall be paid 100 percent of his/her salary for that day, while work done during the regular holiday, the worker shall be paid 200 percent of his/her regular salary for that day for the first eight hours.
For work done in excess of eight hours (overtime work), he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his/her hourly rate on said day, and for work done during a regular holiday that also falls on his/her rest day, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his/her daily rate of 200 percent.
The Labor chief said that private employers who violated the pay rule will be face charges and fines.