The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) is ready to implement its security templates for this yearâs observance of the Simbang Gabi tradition which begins on December 16.
The Davao City Security and Safety Cluster on Nov. 30 started deploying over 6,000 security personnel and force multipliers to provide security for the whole duration of the Holiday Season, including the nine dawn masses before Christmas Day.
âAndam na ang kapulisan sa Davao City Police Office. In fact, naa nay mga detail order kung asa na mga simbahan ma-detail ang mga nagakaiyang mga personnel (The Davao City Police Office is ready. In fact, we already have detail orders specifying which personnel will be deployed to churches,â said DCPO spokesperson PMaj Catherine Dela Rey during the Madayaw Davao program aired over the Davao City Disaster Radio on Monday.
Since this yearâs Simbang Gabi will have no restrictions to movement and capacity, unlike the previous years of the pandemic, dela Rey said maximum security will be implemented in all 41 churches in the city.
âWala na bya tay limit sa pwede musulod sa simbahan, unlike sa mga previous years nga dili pwede ang mga bata, so open na sa tanan (We no longer limit those who are allowed inside churches, unlike the previous years when children were not allowed, so now it is open to everyone),â she said.
âMaximum deployment ang atong ipatuman dinha sa nagkadaiyang simbahan, and then kadtong mga identified nato na mga crowd-drawer gyud na mga simbahan, mas daghan ang atong mga ipang-deploy (We will implement maximum deployment in each church, and we will deploy more personnel to the ones we identify as the most crowd-drawing churches),â dela Rey added.
The DCPO spokesperson said they will closely monitor young troublemakers who are prone to starting riots during the Simbang Gabi. She said they have partnered with barangay force multipliers in order to monitor and discourage young troublemakers from going to church for reasons other than attending the dawn mass.
âAmo na pud bantayan ang kaning magtapok-tapok na mga batan-on na ang purpose lang didto kay magsamok, kanang magriot-riot (We will monitor young people in groups whose sole purpose there is to cause trouble, start riots),â she said.
Dela Rey reminded Dabawenyos that since maximum security will be implemented during the Simbang Gabi, church-goers will have to abide by the usual security measures imposed in the city during large events and crowd gatherings. This means that backpacks, non-transparent water bottles, sharp objects, and the wearing of jackets will not be allowed inside the church.
The DCPO urged all those who will attend the Simbang Gabi to cooperate and submit to body inspections in entry points of places of convergence. CIO
