TACLOBAN CITY – Chief Supt. Dionisio Coloma Jr., regional police director, said that members of ten police organization in Eastern Visayas are ready for any untoward incident this Christmas season.

Coloma said that the policemen would be detailed in all churches in the region starting today when the “Mesa de Gallo” or Dawn Mass begins.

Aside form the churches, PNP members would also be deployed in other public places.

“There would be policemen who will assign in the public places frequented by people like shopping malls and parks,” the police regional chief told Leyte Samar Daily Express.

For his part, Supt. Arnulfo Cruz, city police chief, said the police is on full alert this season inline with the “Oplan: Pamasko” directive of PNP Director General Edgar Aglipay.

“We would be on a 24-hour call to answer for any untoward incident during this time,” Cruz told Express.

According to Cruz, police visibility is an effective deterrent against unscrupulous individual who would take advantage of the situation.

Cruz told Express that during this time, “places of engagements” would be given priority as far as police deployment is concerned.

Police authorities noted that during this season, incidents of some petty crimes like snatching and pick pocket increases. But with the presence of police members in public places like these could be avoided.

Meantime, Coloma also told Express that aside from the complying with “Oplan: Pamasko”, the deployment of PNP members was also in line with the security measures initiated by the government as the threat of terrorism continues to hound the country.

Coloma said the recent bombing incident in General Santos City that killed 14 persons only proves that the terrorism remains one of the security problems of the Philippines.

With this threat, vital installations located in the region would be given security by the PNP, the regional police chief. Among these installations are the geothermal plants in Tongonan, the main source of power in the region; the San Juanico Bridge; and the different communications tower.