It has ordered the 11 police stations in the city to conduct random checkpoints.
The CCPO is not taking any chances against criminal elements who might want to take advantage of the occasion.
CCPO Director Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog recalled that when he was still stationed in Mindanao, members of the New People’s Army (NPA) attacked one of the police stations in Davao de Oro while the whole province celebrated the day of love.
However, Dalogdog said they will be on the lookout for robbers and not for armed communist guerillas.
“I’m referring to lawless elements since there are no NPAs in the city. Maybe they will commit a different type of crime. So we have to be on full alert status during Valentine’s Day,” he said in a mix of Tagalog and English.
The Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) will also be on full alert.
It has already ordered station commanders in the towns and component cities to coordinate with hotel and motel establishments to prevent the entry of minors who are not accompanied by relatives.
“If someone checks in, it must be part of their standard operating procedure to check the relation of the adults and the minors they bring with them,” Major Reslyn Abella, CPPO information officer, said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Abella said they want to prevent minors from being sexually abused during this celebration.
Police personnel will be deployed in public places like plazas, churches and the malls in the entire Cebu Island.
Meanwhile, police have urged the public to avoid dark places to avoid falling prey to criminal elements. (AYB / PJB)