Armed cops to provide security during Britney Spears concert in Manila

Bea Cupin

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Armed cops to provide security during Britney Spears concert in Manila

Photo by Martin San Diego/Rapple

Over 200 cops will be deployed inside and outside the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday, June 15

MANILA, Philippines – The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is not taking chances as international pop star Britney Spears performs in Manila on Thursday, June 15.

Metro Manila police will be deploying over 200 personnel – both armed and unarmed – to provide security to some 10,000 concert goers at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

“Our preparations are in place. We had a walk-through yesterday to see the specific locations of our police who will be detailed there,” said Metro Manila chief Director Oscar Albayalde in a chance interview on Wednesday, June 14.

Albayalde said over 200 police will be deployed inside and outside the concert venue. Police with short firearms with be deployed inside the lobby while uniformed police without firearms will be deployed inside the arena itself.

A SWAT team will also be on standby, added the police general.

That armed police are allowed inside the venue is a new development. In the past, police were only allowed to man the perimeter of big events.

“There are major adjustments. It’s because we made coordination with management and security personnel that we supervise all major events that will be held in Metro Manila,” explained Albayalde.

Security in Metro Manila has been in the spotlight recently following several major events, including a summit of the Southeast Asian region’s world leaders. In late April and early May, separate blasts hit the Quiapo area in Metro Manila.

On June 2, a lone man armed with an assault riffle stormed a casino complex also in Pasay City. Although nobody died from gunshots, at least 38, including the suspect, died because of fires the he started.

Security preparations for the June 15 concert have also been in the spotlight following a terror attack during an Ariana Grande concert in the United Kingdom. – Rappler.com

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Bea Cupin

Bea is a senior multimedia reporter who covers national politics. She's been a journalist since 2011 and has written about Congress, the national police, and the Liberal Party for Rappler.