By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) recently announced at least 300 additional police officers will be deployed for the ongoing MassKara Festival and the upcoming visit of President Rodrigo Duterte to Bacolod City, scheduled for October 20.

According to PRO-6 director, Police Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag, the officers will augment existing Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) forces; which BCPO acting director, Police Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky, says numbers around 650.

Wanky noted, policemen will be assigned to crowded areas to discourage criminality and deter trouble during festivities.

Currently, the BCPO chief reports they are not monitoring any threats.

Wanky added, the BCPO will implement a gun ban for the duration of festival, however, they are still assessing if jamming mobile phone signals at the festival sites is necessary./DGB, WDJ