CITY EYED AS 'HOT CAR' GATEWAY: Naga police roll out Holy Week, summer security

By JASON B. NEOLA

THE Naga City Police Office (NCPO) has rolled out its contingency plan for the upcoming Holy Week, which will run from April 13 to 20, 2025, and the rest of the summer vacation season.

The plan includes the establishment of border control points and heightened monitoring of travelers and vehicles entering the city to ensure peace and order throughout the extended holiday period.

Police Colonel Erwin Rebellon, NCPO city director, said checkpoints will be established at key entry points to screen visitors, monitor suspicious individuals, and check vehicles for possible links to carnapping incidents. He warned that criminal elements may take advantage of the influx of pilgrims and tourists to smuggle in stolen vehicles.

“We are anticipating that carnappers might pass off as tourists or pilgrims while transporting hot cars into the city,” Rebellon said, citing Naga’s long-standing reputation as a transit route for stolen vehicles headed to Visayas and Mindanao. He added that the city is also considered a transhipment point for illegal drugs due to its central location in the Bicol Region.

To maintain peace and order, 775 police personnel will be deployed along an 8-kilometer stretch of the Maharlika Highway, from Barangay Mabolo to Barangay Del Rosario—an area that serves as a primary route for travellers from Metro Manila and other regions.

The NCPO’s effort will be complemented by volunteers from radio groups and personnel from various agencies including the Bureau of Fire Protection, Public Safety Office, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Philippine Red Cross. They will provide assistance to travellers experiencing emergencies or engine trouble.

A police operations hub will also be set up along the highway to centralize coordination during the Holy Week and summer vacation period.

Rebellon, former regional head of the PNP Highway Patrol Group in Bicol, said the operation will serve as a valuable training ground for officers in identifying questionable vehicles and suspicious activity.

In preparation for increased visits to resorts after liturgical activities, the NCPO has also coordinated with resort owners in Barangay Carolina and other areas. Rebellon said resort managements have been advised to augment their lifeguards and security staff to ensure customer safety and prevent incidents such as drowning or theft.

“Last year, no drowning incidents were reported due to strong collaboration with resort owners. We hope to replicate that success this year,” he said.

Rebellon expressed optimism for a peaceful observance of Holy Week and summer vacation, bolstered by the support of an additional 150 police officers from the Camarines Sur Police Provincial Office.

Meanwhile, the NCPO is also ramping up its preparations for the 2025 local and midterm elections. Rebellon said coordination meetings with Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials are ongoing, and the city is currently categorized under the “green category,” indicating a generally peaceful environment.

He noted that no election-related violence has been recorded in the city so far, although an isolated case of a gun ban violation was logged. “For a long time, Naga has had no record of intense political rivalry, and we hope to keep it that way,” he said.

With strong security measures and coordination in place, Rebellon is confident that the city will maintain its peaceful status throughout the Holy Week, summer season, and the election period.

NCPO personnel inspect private vehicles during a routine checkpoint in Naga City to ensure proper documentation and roadworthiness, part of their ongoing efforts to maintain peace and order. Inset: PCol. Rebellon, NCPO city director.