Officials send off almost 4,300 security forces for ASEAN meeting in Bacolod

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 20): Officials send off almost 4,300 security forces for ASEAN meeting in Bacolod

Almost 4,300 security personnel were sent off to their assigned posts by police and city officials here Monday ahead of the 15th Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials/Ministers Responsible for Information (SOMRI) hosted by this city on March 22 to 23 at the SMX Convention Center.

Around 80 delegates from the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States will convene here.

The send-off rites, held at the Bacolod City Government Center, was led by Chief Superintendent Renato Gumban, acting director of Police Regional Office-18, who also heads Task Group Bacolod, and Mayor Evelio Leonardia.

They were joined by, among others, retired Chief Superintendent Josephus Angan, members of ASEAN National Organizing Committee.

Only about 2,500 were present during the ceremony since the rest were already deployed to various assignments since last weekend.

Deployed were personnel from the Bacolod City Police Office, Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office, Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, Special Action Force, Philippine Army, Mobile Highway Patrol Group, Police Regional Office-6, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Coast Guard, National Support Unit, and Philippine National Police headquarters.

Gumban said they are assigned to secure hotels, airports, roads, malls and other areas of convergence in the host-city and adjacent areas.

Although the 15th Meeting of the SOMRI will be held on March 22 and 23, other related activities are also scheduled on March 21 and 24.

Gumban said that securing the four-day event is “a team effort and a call of nation approach.”

“Let us invest skills and knowledge for a successful event as this will give way to more opportunities for Bacolod City (and also for) Negros Island Region,” he added.

Moreover, Leonardia urged the security personnel to ensure the peaceful staging of the historic event.

“I hope you all have a sense of mission and fulfillment in performing your responsibilities,” the mayor added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=973276