It’s all for safety’s sake.
Chief Superintendent Camilo Cascolan, head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Directorate for Operations, announced that armed police officers can now conduct foot patrols in malls, especially in Metro Manila.
“The PNP decided to conduct mall patrols in the wake of security threats and bomb scares,” reports Cecille Suerte Felipe in The Philippine Star.
The report noted: “In the past, some malls refused to allow armed police officers in the building, claiming their presence intimidates shoppers.”
Now, they’ve allowed cops in uniforms and with firearms to go around their areas. If these officers see anyone suspicious, they are expected to “immediately approach them and invite them to the security room discreetly” so other shoppers won’t panic.
We just have to ask: Who would qualify as “suspicious looking”?
