MANILA, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines will deploy around 15,000 policemen to protect the participants of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games that will be held in Metro Manila and other venues in November to December this year, a spokesman for the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday.
Police spokesman Bernard Banac said in a news conference that the PNP in Pampanga province will deploy 5,000 policemen while the National Capital Region Police Office will deploy 10,000.
No specific threats have yet been detected, Banac said. However, he said the police force will be on alert and closely monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of the public and the athletes before, during, and after the 12-day regional sports event.
"As of now, we have not received any information on security threats that might be executed during the Games. What's important is we maintain order and peace in all venues," Banac told reporters.
Police Major General Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, earlier said 10,000 policemen will secure the 12 sports venues in Metro Manila.
Aside from Metro Manila, there are also SEA Games venues in Laguna province, Tagaytay city in Cavite province, Subic city in Zambales province, and New Clark City sports complex in Tarlac province.
According to the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee, there are over 10,000 athletes from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor Leste, Singapore and Vietnam who will participate in 543 sports events.
The Philippines will host the SEA Games from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 this year.
New Clark City will serve as the main sports hub for this year's SEA Games. Of the 543 sporting events to be hosted in the SEA Games, more than 200 events will be held in Clark.
New Clark City has new and modern sports facilities, including the 20,000-seater Athletics Stadium, 2,000-seater Aquatics Center, and an Athletes Village that will provide housing and training facilities for the athletes, as well as SEA Games officials and volunteers.
