PNP creates task force to secure ASEAN meet next month

By Ronron
June 14, 2007

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is creating a task force to secure the upcoming 40th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting (AMM), Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC), and the 14th ASEAN Region Forum (ARF) in Manila.

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Calderon said in a statement Thursday he ordered the creation of the provisional Task Force “AMM” to be headed by Deputy Director General Avelino Razon, Jr., the PNP Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration.

“Gen. Razon will orchestrate, direct, and supervise the overall conduct of security operations in all areas of engagements, including hotels where the delegates will be billeted,” Calderon said.

The AMM will be held from July 6th to August 2nd, according to the statement. It is the continuation of the 12th ASEAN Summit in Cebu City and will be participated by 27 countries, including four AMM observers from Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, the US Secretary General and the UN Secretary General.

Aside from the ministerial meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, separate activities for the spouses of the delegates will be held in Intramuros, Manila City, in Tagaytay City, and in Makati City.

Calderon said Task Force “AMM” will organize Task Force Manila which will be responsible for the security coverage, Civil Disturbance Management operations, traffic management, and contingency measures in all areas of engagement and other places that may be visited by delegates in Metro Manila.

Task Force Manila will be headed by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla, Calderon said.

Under Task Force Manila will be the following Task Groups (TG): TG Billet (for the security at billeting hotels of the delegates); TG Venue (for security at venues of engagements); TG Daloy (for route security and traffic management during movement of delegates); TG Paliparan (for airport facilitation and security assistance during the arrival and departure of the delegates); TG Dikit (for close-in and on-board security); TG Masid (for covert security); TG Antabay (for deployment of SWAT, Explosive and Ordnance Division, and CDM); TG Lunas (for medical assistance); and TG Senyas (for communication requirements of the Task Force).

“Various threat groups such as terrorist groups and other criminal elements may take advantage of the situation and perpetrate their nefarious activities to disrupt the 40th Asean Ministerial Meeting,” Calderon said.

“We must ensure the safety of this event because anything that will endanger the lives of the delegates would be detrimental to the national and bilateral interest of the country, the participating ASEAN and observer countries,” he added.

Calderon said the Task Force and Task Groups will be fully operational on July 24th./DMS