Davao City beefs up security measures for ‘Undas’
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 23 Oct) — The Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) and the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) are beefing up security measures in anticipation of the expected 80,000 passengers crowding the bus terminal for the upcoming “Undas.”
Aisa Usop, DCOTT manager said during the peace and security press briefing on Wednesday that a surprise drug test among bus drivers will be conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as preventive measure to assure commuters’ safety, especially with the influx of passengers for special occasions like Undas.
Last April, in preparation for the Holy Week exodus of passengers at DCOTT, a bus driver tested positive for illegal drugs in a surprise drug test dubbed “Oplan Harabas.”
Despite the temporary closure of the Bukidnon-Davao road because of the landslide in Quezon, Bukidnon, Usop said DCOTT has anticipated that from the 700-800 bus trips on normal days, Undas trips starting this week are still projected to reach 1,000 to 1,500 a day.
She added that aside from the security personnel at the terminal, they will request augmentation from the DCPO and the Task Force Davao.
Usop also assured DCOTT passengers that all 32 surveillance cameras in the terminal are working. In terms of safety of baggage, she said all three X-ray machines, the walk-through machine, and K-9 units are all operational.
The DCPO, meanwhile, will deploy a total of 1,192 personnel composed of police and auxiliary police in 53 cemeteries in the city.
Capt. Hazel Caballero, DCPO spokesperson, said at the same briefing that their deployment will start at 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. beginning Oct. 30 until Nov. 2. She added that the DCPO will implement strict border controls, and they are also in talks with the Philippine Coast Guard to monitor ports and other sea entry and exit points in the city.
Caballero advised residents and visitors who plan to clean the graves of their loved ones to do the cleaning as early as this week to avoid bringing of bladed weapons during the peak of Undas.
She urged Dabawenyos to “be involved in the culture of security in the city” and not let security personnel handle everything. “That is our plea for everyone to cooperate for the achievement of peace and security,” Caballero said in the vernacular.
She said all bladed weapons, including those used for cleaning graves, like “guna” and “sanggot,” will be confiscated at the entrance of the cemetery and can only be claimed at the exit.
Caballero reminded Dabawenyos of the probitions in cemeteries from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2: alcoholic beverages, videoke, any form of gambling, smoking, any bladed weapon, firearms, and flying of drones without permit. (Daniel Jamito / MindaNews)
