PNP stays on alert as Holy Week ends
The Philippine National Police on Sunday said the nationwide observance of Holy Week remained generally peaceful, with no major incidents recorded.
“Safe travel of millions of our [countrymen] remains our top priority. We remain on full alert status, and our personnel on the ground are ready to respond to any peace and order and public safety concerns,” said PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.
The PNP said it deployed 98,636 officers nationwide to provide security during the Lenten period and lawmen would remain on alert until tourists and locals have come back safe from their trips.
“We will continue to be vigilant and responsive until every traveler has safely returned home. The safety and well-being of our countrymen remain a priority,” he added.
Passengers have begun to converge on bus terminals, airports and seaports on Sunday ahead of the start of the workweek on Monday.
Roads leading to urban centers, including Metro Manila, began to get congested on Sunday and are expected to remain so until after Monday.
Police commanders have been ordered to increase their presence in convergence points to assist and ensure the safety of travelers.
“Let us remind everyone—be cautious, look after your companions, especially the children, and follow safety guidelines. Your police force is here, ready to help and provide immediate response whenever needed,” Nartatez said.
Nartatez reminded motorists to be extra careful in driving back to their homes and urged them to remain cool behind the wheel of their vehicles.
From March 29 to 8 a.m. of April 5, the PNP said it recorded a total of 59 drowning incidents, 91 fire incidents and 455 vehicular accidents nationwide, but Nartatez said the figures are expected to be revised by Monday.
The Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange in Parañaque City reported on Sunday an early increase in the number of passengers.
The situation was the same at airports, but it had remained normal and orderly on Sunday, said Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines spokesperson Eric Apolonio.
“There has been no reported untoward incident except the incident in Busuanga,” he said, referring to the crash of a cargo plane outside the Busuanga Airport in Coron, Palawan, that killed its two pilots.
The PNP Aviation Security Group (ASG) reported that the incident involved a Volpar BE18 cargo plane that came from Sangley Airport in Cavite to pick up live fish products.
The plane had just taken off to return to Sangley when it crashed and exploded. The bodies of the pilot and copilot were recovered at around 3 p.m. on the same day, the ASG reported.
At seaports, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that close to 200,000 outbound passengers were monitored at seaports nationwide during Holy Week.
As of April 4, the PCG logged 195,257 outbound passengers and 167,690 inbound passengers in all ports nationwide.
