THE POLICE Regional Office (PRO) XI defended the deployment of the PNP-SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) unit outside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Buhangin District on Friday night, citing it as part of their ongoing crime prevention and police visibility efforts.
Major Catherine Dela Rey, PRO XI spokesperson, said any police unit can be assigned to conduct operational activities, including checkpoints.
She emphasized that officers leading such activities are accompanied by marked vehicles and signage.
“If one would put negative meaning into it, then it would be negative,” Dela Rey said. “But if you see it as one of the crime prevention activities, then you can appreciate it as the police doing its job.”
However, the SWAT team’s presence in full battle gear, with covered vehicle plates, caused alarm among KOJC members and resulted in heavy traffic congestion.
Netizens and motorists likened the scene to a war zone.
In response to concerns, Dela Rey reiterated the police’s strategic approach to deployment, stating,
“We strategize in our deployment and we cannot explain it all to you. The important thing is we are doing our job and part of that is crime prevention activities and police visibility.”
The incident raised questions from the media about PRO 11’s checkpoint procedures and equipment requirements.
The checkpoint followed the simultaneous raids on KOJC properties and other assets on June 10, 2024.
