Mayor Sara Duterte has urged the public to go earlier to the cemeteries and to observe traffic advisory to prevent traffic congestion in this weekend’s commemoration of All Souls’ Day and All Saint’s Day.
Police Regional Office 11 Director Brig Gen. Filmore Escobal ordered his subordinates for a “zero incident” in the region during the holidays.
“If possible we will not go together to the cemetery on Nov. 1 and 2,” Duterte said.
Since it’s the semestral break, the mayor urged the public to go earlier to the cemetery days before the weekend.
The mayor said such action can also lessen the traffic congestion.
For drivers, she asked them to follow traffic advisories to avoid traffic congestion.
The mayor said she will visit the tombs of her departed relatives either today or Tuesday, days prior to the holidays.
Meanwhile, Escobal said they will deploy additional police personnel in the city to support the security deployment in the city, particularly in the cemeteries.
“Our instruction for them (provincial and city police director) is that no (untoward) incident should happen,” Escobal said.
He said head of police offices should “work well” with the security measures.
Escobal said they will implement the “no backpack policy,” a stand which counters to the earlier statement of Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Angel Sumagaysay that backpacks are allowed at the cemetery.
Col. Kirby John Kraft, the newly designated Davao City Police Office director, said procedures are already ready this weekend as police officers will be sent to the cemeteries.
Sumagaysay said close to 10,000 personnel from various law enforcement agencies – police, military, auxiliary, and other force multipliers – will be deployed starting Oct. 30.
