THE Philippine National Police is fielding 7,700 policemen to secure thousands of foreign delegates ahead of the 51st Asian Development Bank Board of Governors Annual Meeting hosted by the country on May 5.
The police contingent has been mobilized at the periphery of the ADB headquarters in Mandaluyong City, the site of the international conference, to protect the safety of an estimated 3,000 delegates attending the event dubbed as “Manila 2018.”
Chief Supt. Ma. O Aplasca, Acting PNP Director for Operations, said a combined contingent of 8,504 public safety personnel from the law enforcement, local government, fire, and medical emergency services under the Security Task Force “ADB Manila 2018” will be in charge of protecting the delegates.
“The capability of the PNP and other concerned agencies to ensure the safety and security of foreign and local dignitaries will be again put to the test,” said PNP Deputy Director General Fernando Mendez, deputy chief for operations.
“We certainly face formidable security challenges, considering that local or international threat groups may take advantage of the situation to try to harm the dignitaries and embarrass the Philippine government and the entire country in the eyes of the international community,” Mendez said.
But with everything in place, with every security measure “meticulously planned” and with the deployment of highly experience and dedicated personnel, “I am confident that we can prevent any untoward incident from happening,” he added.
The police personnel fielded during the event, Mendez said had been carefully selected, trained and prepared to handle the job, “thus the Philippine government is ready and proud to host the important gathering of ADB officials and dignitaries.”
Manila 2018 will see at least 67 finance and economic ministers and some 3,000 delegates and guest expected to participate in the annual meeting.
Part of the security measures include guarding the guests’ billeting, routes from and to the airports, hotels surrounding the ADB headquarters in Mandaluyong, Pasig City and in Makati City.
Chief Supt. Alfredo Valdez, ADB Manila Task Force Commander, said they have not monitored any specific threat to the annual meeting, though they are anticipating that labor groups might converge near the venue and conduct protest actions relating to the Labor Day celebration.
“We have contingency planning so we have reserves in case we need additional forces,” Valdez said.
Mendez said the meeting is another opportunity for the PNP to replicate the country’s successful conduct of security coverages in previous big events held in the country, particularly the Papal visit in 2015, the Apec Summit and the Asean Summit in 2017.
He assured ADB officials, delegates and other guests that the security forces will be working hard to record zero incidents and provide sufficient security coverage’s for the duration of the event.
“Let us live up to this commitment and as long as we are committed, disciplined and united team we will succeed in this undertaking and we will make our beloved country proud again,” Mendez said.
