The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday plans are in place to secure El Shaddai DWXI-Prayer Partners Fellowship International (El Shaddai DWXI-PPFI)'s 40th annual grand massive crusade at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park, Manila and respond to the three-day transport strike by some groups on January 20 to 22.
Speaking to reporters at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said more than 22,000 police officers would be deployed to secure the grand massive crusade.
“We are 100 percent ready for deployment and we are also in coordination with even private individuals. They are providing technical aspects (such as) CCTV coverage in all areas, as well as drones that we are going to deploy drones to make sure that all areas are covered when it comes to video in camera,” Azurin said.
He said the PNP has conducted simulation exercises, communication exercises, walk-throughs, clearing operations, and contingency planning in case of protest rallies.
“We will be deploying more or less mga 22,000 police personnel and part of this will be the Civil Disturbance Management and we can see we are preparing for the worst. Pero sana yung nakikita natin, mga pinapraktis natin, ay hindi na ma-exercise (Hopefully, what we have practiced would not be exercised). I hope and pray for the peaceful conduct of the rally and respect for each other,” Azurin said.
The country’s top cop likewise assured that maximum tolerance would be exercised.
“What we don't want is an escalation of violence, especially among those protesters. I am appealing to our fellow Filipinos who will be doing these rallies to make sure that they are in the exercise of their rights, not to trample on the rights of other people, including our police,” he said.
Azurin said the Manila Police District has been holding dialogues with various groups to ensure peaceful protest rallies.
He also assured that they are coordinating with intelligence units and the military to detect and curb any security threat.
Likewise, Azurin said the PNP would work with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and other agencies to assist commuters who might be affected by the transport holiday.
“Magde-deploy din tayo ng mga buses on the PNP and even other agencies, magbibigay din, just to make sure that if there will be a vacuum created by this tigil pasada, this will be filled up by our interagency coordination (We will also deploy buses. Other agencies will also contribute just to make sure that any vacuum created by the transport strike would be filled up by our interagency coordination),” he said.
A total of 1,500 MMDA personnel have been tasked to manage both vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the area, as well as assist in emergencies and conduct road and sidewalk clearing operations.
They will also support the operations of the Task Force El Shaddai Rally 2023, the Philippine National Police, the Manila Police District, the Presidential Security Group, and the Manila City Government.
The Annual Grand Massive Crusade of Catholic Charismatic group El Shaddai DWXI-PPFI is held every second Saturday to the third Monday of January every year at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila, since 1985. It is one of the world’s largest gatherings that is covered by all forms of mass media, including print, radio, television, and social media.
During the second day of the celebration coinciding with the feast of Santo Nino de Cebu, a three-in-a-half-hour closing liturgy of the international level World Youth Day celebration presided by Pope Francis. From 2014 to 2020, Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI served as concelebrants of the World Youth Day closing mass.
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