Police officers assigned to the security detail of Miss Universe Pageant contestants are not allowed to take "selfies" with their subjects.

This is because security is a priority, said Senior Superintendent Emmanuel Licup, a member of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) Security Task Group for the pageant.

Around 1,300 police personnel will be deployed in Metro Manila to provide security for pageant candidates, jurors, performers, organizers, and their relatives. The number of officers deployed in other provinces for the pageant's ancillary events will depend on the respective regional directors.

Part of the police contingent will be coming from the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG), who will provide close-in security for candidates, at a ratio of 1 cop for 4 candidates.

The organizers of the pageant have not allowed candidates to book their own separate activities while in the country, Licup said.

"We have been briefed by the organizers that the Miss Universe organization will be strict in terms of the movement of these candidates. So, in that case, security arrangements will be better off as far as the PNP is concerned," Licup said.

The contestants will be hard-pressed to shop and take personal time off, but may be given at least one night to go out on their own.

NO THREATS

While the PNP is ensuring tight security during the Miss Universe pageant, and are even planning to set up an intelligence center for concerned agencies to better exchange information, Licup said they have not monitored any direct threats to the third staging of the annual pageant in the Philippines.

"This is an international event, surely, it can be good for terrorist groups to attack. The PNP will make sure that none of these things will happen,” he said.

As of now, there are no plans to jam cellphone signals during the event. Signal-jamming was recently implemented by the PNP in this year's Black Nazarene procession in Manila.

"As of now, hindi pa napag-usapan. Hindi naman ganoon karaming Miss Universe devotees," Licup said.

He added, no roads will be closed during the pageant events as President Rodrigo Duterte gave specific instructions that the pageant should not inconvenience commuters and motorists.