A GROUP opposed to the opening of a day-care centre for psychiatric patients at Laguna City has received legal approval for its plan to issue special identity cards to residents.
The civil liberties group, Movement Against Discrimination, was told yesterday by the police that the Special Task Force Against the Mental Patient Centre was within its rights to issue the cards and employ security guards.
However, the cards could only be used within the private residential complex and would be seen as a ''private'' security issue.
The residents' group plans to adopt the measures in an attempt to protect themselves and their families from what they claim is a threat posed by rehabilitation centre patients.
However, the Movement Against Discrimination has been told that the residents could not lawfully impose the scheme in ''public'' areas.
Police have assured the civil liberties group that the public areas will be subjected to an increased police presence to prevent any attempt to restrict the movement of people going about their day-to-day business.