Around 2,000 combined forces of the military, the police and force multipliers will be deployed to secure the observance of All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day when Bohol expects an increased influx of tourists and homecoming Boholanos.

 Police provincial director, PSSupt. Angeles Geñorga Jr., assured Boholanos that there would be enough personnel and force multipliers to secure the cemeteries, other places of convergence and vital installations during the long weekend in time of the observance of the All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day.

The Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO), in coordination with other law enforcement agencies, local government units, non-government and other volunteer organizations, will “provide enhanced public safety services, security coverage, route safety marshals and assistance hubs to ensure a peaceful, orderly, safe and successful observance of All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day.

Geñorga reported this during the joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) on October 25.

He said there will be 1,283 in all in the peace and security deployment plan, including the force multipliers.

The force multipliers will comprise 132 from Bantay Bayan, 808 from Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams (BPATs), and 149 others for the peace and order aspect; and other volunteers that will include 154 for medical, 15 for radio communications and 25 others.

The BPPO will field 973 personnel to areas of concern during the holidays- -523 to cemeteries, 16 to bus terminals, 18 to seaports, 12 to the airport, 36 to major tourist destinations, 56 to vital installations, 14 to the malls and other commercial centers, and 298 for route security.

 The additional forces will come from the military.

On the part of the military, they continue to monitor the areas where armed men had been spotted in the previous month.

On September 18, the military stationed in Bohol received a report that at around 1 a.m. on September 29, four fully armed unidentified men were sighted passing Purok 7 of barangay Caluwasan in the town of San Miguel.

They were seen proceeding towards the sub-village of Maonglines in barangay Kauswagan in the town of Trinidad.

In the campaign against loose firearms, the BPPO had already confiscated 107 firearms and recovered eight firearms from the total of 154 operations conducted from January to September this year.

The BPPO also recorded 96 firearms surrendered.

The total number of firearms yielded now reached 211 and 71 cases had already been filed in relation to loose firearms.

From January to September this year, the BPPO had arrested 76 persons in line with the campaign against loose firearms.

In January, two firearms were surrendered.

In February, the BPPO conducted 36 operations which resulted to the arrest of six persons, confiscation of six firearms, surrender of 30 firearms and filing of six cases in court.

 In March, ten persons were arrested during the 16 operations conducted which resulted to the confiscation of 10 firearms and filing of 10 cases in court.

During the month, two firearms were also recovered and four were surrendered.

In April, the BPPO conducted 20 operations which resulted to the arrest of seven persons where eight firearms were confiscated, two were recovered and four were surrendered, and six cases were filed.

In May, 21 operations were conducted which resulted to the arrest of 10 persons where 19 firearms were confiscated, one was recovered and 12 were surrendered, and 11 cases were filed.

In June, eight persons were arrested and five cases were filed as a result of the 12 operations conducted which resulted to the confiscation of eight firearms, recovery of three firearms and surrender of six firearms.

In July, the BPPO conducted 11 operations which resulted to the arrest of five persons, confiscation of eight firearms, and filing of five cases in court. Seven firearms had been surrendered during the month.

 In August, the BPPO arrested 27 persons during the 29 operations conducted where 41 firearms were confiscated, and 22 cases filed in court.

There were 14 firearms surrendered during the month.

 In September, the BPPO conducted seven operations and arrested five persons, confiscated seven firearms and received nine surrendered firearms.

 There were six cases filed in court during the month.