Military launches own 'text hotline'

First the police.

Then recently, the military launched its own "text hotline" for the public to report any presence or activity of insurgents and terrorists in a particular area.

The military's text hotline is 0927-3440444, announced Lt. Col. Jesse Alvarez, commanding officer of the 78th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army based in the Cebu mid-north.

The local military force has adopted the police "text hotline" program in getting the public involvement in the maintenance of peace and order in the province.

This made the "text hotline" scheme as an instrument of both the military and the police in drawing public support in the fight against insurgency, terrorism, and criminality in the province.

The "text hotline," based on the police experience, has been proven effective in strengthening also the barangay intelligence network.

The Provincial Board approved Monday a resolution, authored by Board Member Carmiano Kintanar, urging the Cebu Provincial Police Office to put up "text hotlines" in every police station as a way of fighting crimes through text messages from the public.

Cell phone numbers for text hotlines of the CPPO will be announced to the public in every town and city in the province within this week.

The PB resolution said: "The commission of various crimes within the territorial jurisdiction of the province can be minimized if a more apt and timely reactionary measure be drastically taken."

Kintanar added that the cell phone could be fully used as a medium for the public in reporting a crime. - Flor Z. Perolina