No crime was reported within the nine days of Simbang Gabi or Dawn Masses, the National Capital Region Police Office said Monday.
“The celebration of the nine-day Simbang Gabi in Metro Manila from December 16 to 24 were generally peaceful, with no significant untoward incidents reported,” NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar said in a message to reporters.
But he said the police had rescued close to 1,000 members of indigenous peoples who were begging for alms in Metro Manila.
Eleazar said that, from Dec. 11 up to 5 a.m. of Dec. 24, the police undertook a total of 126 rescue operations that resulted in the rescue of 967 people, 385 of whom were adults or 39.81 percent and 582 were minors or 60.19 percent.
This figure included 210 members (21.72 percent) of the Aeta community, 148 members (15.31 percent) of the Badjao community and 609 (62.98 percent) others.
A total of the 199 rescued Aetas and Badjaos were minors.
Eleazar ordered his five district directors to tighten the security around churches and residential areas to protect churchgoers and thwart burglars.
The five districts covered by the NCRPO are the Manila Police District, Quezon City Police District, Northern Police District, Southern Police District, and Eastern Police District.
“The Team NCRPO celebrates this Christmas by intensifying police visibility to ensure there will be peace, order, safety and joy in our midst every moment of the day,” Eleazar said.
He said he had already deployed 7,823 police officers in the convergence areas such as transport hubs.
“They will be posted strategically region-wide at places of convergence and vital installations,” Eleazar said.
“We will post police assistance hubs in all major public markets, malls, churches, airports, LRT and MRT terminals, seaports and transport terminals.”
The dawn masses, a tradition deeply rooted in the religious culture of Catholic Filipinos, serves as a prelude to the festive and meaningful celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, Eleazar said will be no holiday break for police personnel in Metro Manila and ordered the five district directors to tighten security and remain visible on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
“Historically, police officers have holiday breaks but we cannot afford those here in Metro Manila because if we let them go on breaks, half of them would be rendering 24-hour duty. We cannot do that here in Metro Manila,” Eleazar said.
He also ordered the cancellation of all leaves and ordered all policemen to report for work during the holidays.
He said they will deploy more uniformed policemen in the areas where the indiscriminate firing of guns happened in the past Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“We want to insist to the public that we are dead serious in maintaining peace and order, and if people see this they will feel safer,” Eleazar said.
READ: NCRPO cops on alert as ‘Simbang Gabi’ starts