MANILA, Philippines — Security forces maintained a heavy presence in so-called “places of convergence” in Metro Manila Thursday following President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law over Mindanao, where operations are continuing to flush out gunmen of the Maute group from Marawi City.
At the Interim South Integrated Provincial Bus Terminal on Macapagal Avenue, units from Quezon City, Makati and Pasay, together with Bureau of Fire Protection personnel, had been deployed.
Navy personnel, police from San Juan City, firefighters and a team from the Pasay City disaster risk reduction and management office were stationed under the flyover by Villamor Airbase, where a tent had also been set up to act as an emergency hospital.
A temporary command post had been set up at New Port City, where representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are billeted in hotels. The NCRPO’s special weapons and tactics team and bomb squad were on standby there together with anti-riot personnel.
