900 cops secure Asia-Pacific mayors’ meet in Catbalogan City

CATBALOGAN CITY, April 7 (PNA) – At least 900 policemen have been deployed to secure the 300 foreign and local chief executives attending the four-day United Cities Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG-ASPAC) executive bureau meeting in this city.

Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, Police Regional Office 8 director, said they have been stepping up security measure since the delegates arrived on Tuesday until their departure on Friday and Saturday.

“With the augmentation, we’re able to prevent potential security threats to our guests such as the rally of about 200 members of a militant group who has no permit,” Beltejar told PNA Thursday night.

The pre-deployment of security personnel was implemented as early as March 31 from the different provincial and town police offices.

Sr. Supt. Allan Cuevillas spearheaded the deployment as head of the task group created for the conference. Security officers had set up a joint tactical operations center for the Philippine National Police and and the Philippine Army at the 8th Infantry Division headquarters in Camp Maulong, this city.

The 900 policemen have been on guard in strategic areas in this city, particularly near the hotels and venues of the event. Some were deployed within the highway that links the city to Tacloban, where the airport is located.

With the theme “Kauswagan Kalibutan: Creating Connections for Sustainable Societies” some 120 foreign delegates from 21 countries attended the gathering.

They are mayors and key government officials from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Maldives, India, South Korea, Australia, Vietnam, Kiribati, Pakistan, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Japan, Afghanistan, Solomon Island, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Thailand, Bhutan and Mongolia.

Nearly 200 local government officials from the Philippines also joined the international gathering.

UCLG-ASPAC is the regional section of the UCLG, a worldwide association of local government organizations that dates back to 1913.

It is the only local government organization recognized by the United Nations (UN) and nominates 10 out of 20 members of the first advisory body of local authorities affiliated with the UN.

Catbalogan is the lone city member of UCLG-Aspac in Eastern Visayas and one of the few in the Philippines. It became a member in 2015.

(PNA)
VICKY C. ARNAIZ