Police, military in Visayas still on alert status

Spillover attacks in Cebu still remains a remote possibility amid the ongoing clashes between government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in Mindanao, police and military officials said yesterday.

But Police Regional Office 7 chief Ronald Roderos said that both the police and military here will remain on alert status and have instituted the necessary security measures to thwart any possible terrorist attack.

During yesterday’s “Talakayan Sa Isyung Pulis” forum, Roderos said they are continuously monitoring vital installations and adopted a 24-hour intelligence gathering information as part of their security measures against any possible spillover attack in the region.

“The possibility of a spillover attack in the region especially Cebu brought about by the ongoing conflict in Mindanao is very remote as we are divided by sea,” Roderos assured.

According to him, the ongoing conflict in Mindanao has no massive effect on peace and order in the region “but we are not letting our guard down.”

He said that they do not discount the possibility that some victims of atrocities in Mindanao have relatives here, but so far there are no Muslim evacuees that have come over to Cebu.

Roderos said they are requiring all barangays to come up with a logbook where relatives of any Muslim resident here or generally any evacuees for that matter displaced by the continuing skirmishes in the south must register so the police could also monitor their number and movements.

“As of now, nobody has registered in the logbook,” Roderos said.

As of now, Roderos said they are conducting “target hardening” by making sure that all vital installations are secured and protected.

The PRO 7 has sent 100 policemen from the Regional Mobile Group to Mindanao to augment security forces during the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao polls but the troops were ordered to stay there until the situation returns to normal.

Muslim leaders in Cebu have expressed their support to help maintain and promote peace in Cebu and assured their cooperation in monitoring and preventing possible entry of MILF members into the region.

Armed Forces of the Philippines-Central Command Operations Chief Lt. Col. Bienvenido Datuin bared that all their units are on red alert status as they keep a tight watch for any possible spillover attacks in the region, albeit this still remains a remote possibility.

Tomorrow morning the 15th Infantry Battalion from Northern Negros will be deployed to Mindanao to augment army troops as pursuit against the MILF members under two renegade field commanders Umbra Kato and Bravo continues.

Datuin said the Centcom has sent a total of 1,400 soldiers from the 46th IB based in Eastern Samar and the 43rd IB based in Bohol to Mindanao. — Niña Chrismae G. Sumacot/WAB