AFP on nationwide alert for ASEAN summit
BY VICTOR REYES

THE Armed Forces yesterday went on nationwide red alert as part of security measures for the 12th yearly summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Cebu City.
"We’ve gone on red alert today as a precaution. We want to maintain readiness," said AFP spokesman Maj. Gen. Jose Angel Honrado.
But, Honrado added, the declaration of the military’s highest alert status does not mean the summit is under threat.
"There is no direct or specific threat. It’s just for precaution," he said.
Australia, Britain and Canada have warned of possible bombings in the South during the summit.
Under a red alert status, all military personnel have to be present in their posts and no leaves are allowed.
It was not clear when the military will lift the red alert status.
The Asean summit will be held from Jan. 13 to 15. Attending are the heads of government of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
It will be followed by a meeting among the participants and leaders of Asean partners Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand.
Senior officials from the region met yesterday also in Cebu City. Foreign ministers will confer Thursday and Friday. AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. flew Tuesday night to Cebu to check on security measures.
Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, AFP public information office chief, said the Central Command and the military’s Task Force Alalay briefed Esperon yesterday.
During the briefing, ground commanders did not mention any specific threat to the summit, said Bacarro, who flew with Esperon to Cebu.
"That (briefing) basically delved on scenarios. They discussed one by one the probable scenarios and the contingencies…They (ground commanders) also discussed coordination with other security agencies," he said.
Bacarro said Esperon expressed satisfaction over the military’s preparation for the summit.
At least 5,500 soldiers have been deployed to Cebu as early as December when the summit was originally scheduled. Around 7,000 policemen are also deployed in the area.
The Philippines, amid reports of a possible terrorist threat and travel advisories from the US, British, and Australian governments, cancelled summit, citing as reason the possibility that typhoon "Seniang" might hit Cebu.
Bacarro said the military is also implementing security measures outside Cebu to thwart possible attacks.
"Any bombing, whether carried out in the Visayas or in Luzon during the summit, is tantamount to a bombing in Cebu," Bacarro said quoting Esperon.
The Presidential Security Group (PSG) also declared a red alert in Malacañang and in Cebu where some of its personnel are already detailed.
President Arroyo goes to Cebu on Friday.
PSG commander Col. Romeo Prestoza said tighter security measures around Malacañang are in place.
The National Capital Region Police Office also went on full alert.
Maj. Gen. Leo Alvez, assistant secretary general for security of the National Organizing Committee, said Air Force planes and helicopters will patrol Cebu’s air space to intercept small aircraft that might enter the "no-fly-zone."
Alvez said the "no-fly-zone" from Jan. 10 to 15 would apply to small aircraft, including those conducting training for student pilots, and not to commercial airlines.
500 UMBRELLAS
As part of measures to ensure the smooth holding of the summit, government has readied 500 umbrellas for rains during the summit, according to Ambassador Marciano Paynor, secretary general of the National Organizing Committee.
"We are procuring more than 500 umbrellas to protect us from the "Natural occurrences such as the weather is something we cannot do anything about. Other countries still hold their summits even when snow is falling and world leaders still attend because they cannot do anything about it," he added.
Arroyo, during a roundtable discussion on economic zones and information and communications and technology, said the Philippines is hosting the Asean and East Asian summits at a time when ‘that the whole region is taking stock of the present and planning ahead for the future."
The President said the event will be a golden opportunity to carve out new directions of development across borders, fighting poverty and building coalitions of technology.
"We stand at the threshold of great challenges and opportunities, and timely decisions will enable Asean and East Asia to seize the moment and the momentum to achieve broader human security, peace and prosperity at the grassroots of every village and community," she said.
She said the Philippines is determined to exercise its leadership towards this end as the Filipinos are determined to play their role as good regional and global citizens to spread the message of goodwill, cooperation and consensus for the benefit of all.
"Great stakes are involved in the continuing integration of the entire East Asia, which is driven by strong centripetal forces to close ranks for a safer and more secure community, more open and equitable trade, cooperation in all fronts of energy development, and the prosperity of its diverse peoples," she added. – With Jocelyn Montemayor