Police beef up security at INC Central Temple for minister's burial

Police beefed up security near the Iglesia ni Cristo Central Temple in Quezon City early Monday to prepare for the burial of INC Executive Minister Eraño Manalo. Quezon City police director Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego said Monday he ordered more policemen deployed to the area in anticipation of the big crowd expected to swell by 12 noon. "Nasa 500 ang taga-QC at may kapatid tayo sa SCAN volunteers galing sa loob. Ang NCRPO nagbigay ng 100, padadagdagan ko rin, itotodo natin kasi last day na (Initially we had 500 cops coordinating with Iglesia's SCAN [Special Community Action Network] International volunteers. The Metro Manila police sent at least 100 personnel. But for today I will deploy more policemen to the site, since it is the last day)," San Diego said in an interview on dzXL radio. He said the SCAN volunteers will take care of security inside the INC compound, while the police is in charge of traffic and security outside the compound. Meanwhile, radio dzBB reported early Monday that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has appealed to motorists to heed the rerouting plan for the day. An estimated 200 MMDA personnel will assist INC marshals and police in guarding the temple premises. As of 7 a.m. Monday, security was tight at the INC compound. Portions of Commonwealth Avenue, Tandang Sora and Central Avenue would be closed to vehicular traffic to give way to the estimated two million people who will attend Manalo's burial. The route from Visayas Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue in Central Avenue has been closed to vehicular traffic since midnight on Saturday and would remain closed until Monday. Among the areas closed to traffic are the stretch from Luzon Avenue to Elliptical Road, parts of Tandang Sora from the Visayas Avenue to Commonwealth up to Capitol Drive, and the east bound side of Commonwealth Avenue. Motorists are advised to take alternate routes surrounding the INC temple such as the Sauyo Road-Mindanao Avenue route in Dahlia and the San Mateo Bridge-Marikina road in the Batasan Pambansa area. Those passing through Libis can take the C5-Katipunan road while others may take the Quirino Avenue-Novaliches road. - GMANews.TV