Secure homes during Holy Week, Central Visayas Police reminds communities

CEBU, Philippines – Around 4,000 personnel of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) will patrol communities during Holy Week 2023 but officials urged homeowners to tighten security measures, especially if they are leaving for vacation.

Burglaries are a main problem during Holy Week, from Wednesday, April 5 to Sunday, April 9, said Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare during a MyTV Cebu media forum on Tuesday.

The PRO-7 recorded 136 crime incidents during Holy Week 2022, said Pelare, the spokesperson of PRO-7 Regional Director Police Brigadier General Anthony Aberin.

This, he pointed out, was a significant decline from the 150 crime incidents recorded during the 2021 Holy Week celebration.

Most crime incidents during the previous Holy Week celebrations were petty burglaries and traffic violations.

“Because ang mga taw naa sa vacation mode (because the people are on vacation mode), they forget to install security measures in their residences when they leave,” Pelare said.

Police observed that burglars plan their activities a few days before the Holy Week, eyeing homes in rural areas or establishments in metropolitan areas that become empty when owners leave for vacation.

Pelare recommended having CCTV cameras or watchdogs at home as precautionary measures.

He also urged the public to avoid posting “at the moment” (ATM) photos on social media to prevent thieves from taking advantage of vacationers.

“We will be fielding around 4,000 security forces just to make sure that we will have a safe and sacred, solemn observance of the Holy Week,” Pelare said.

The figure includes military officers, and force multipliers, he added. 

Since Friday, March 31, security forces have been deployed to monitor the influx of commuters at the bus terminals of Cebu and other provinces. 

“We are now ready to make sure that all activities pertaining to the Holy Week are safe and secure,” Pelare said. –Rappler.com