The head of the security committee for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit said on Wednesday that the government will not lower its guard until all delegates and guests have left the country.
Interior and Local Government Officer in Charge Undersecretary Catalino S. Cuy, chairman of the Asean Committee on Security, Peace and Order and Emergency Preparedness and Response (CSPOEPR), expressed hope that they would realize their “zero incident” goal for the Asean summit as they have planned.
“We remain confident that, until all the delegates and guests shall have departed the country, we will register zero-crime incident because this is the main goal and the very reason we in the CSPOEPR are working 24/7,” Cuy said.
“But as we are getting closer to the finish line, we should not become complacent. They say that it is when the goal is within one’s reach comes the gravest challenges that will put all of your plans, skills and determination to a test,” he added.
Monday’s opening of the summit was, by far, the only day marked with clashes between antiriot policemen and protesters in Manila that resulted in 28 lawmen injured and dozens of protesters.
The second day and last day of the summit on Wednesday went on smoothly.
“The second and last day of the Philippines’s hosting of the 31st Asean Summit went by smoothly today [Wednesday],” Cuy said. “We are optimistic that the remaining events for the rest of the day and the other activities tomorrow will turn out perfectly as well,” he added.
According to Cuy, there were no disruptions during the two days of the summit, citing the cooperation extended by the public to the government forces tasked to implement security measures.