Various sectors and civil society organizations have thrown their support to the efforts of the provincial government and local authorities to address to the peace and order situation in Sulu.
Sulu Vice Governor presided over the meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council where different issues and recommendations and other measures to curtail activities of criminal groups have been discussed, according to the Sulu Area Coordination Center.
It said some of the immediate actions that are being considered are to increase police visibility and security checkpoints and the installation of closed circuit televisions in various towns in the province.
The meeting was attended by different town mayors and representatives of various government agencies and law enforcement units, including the business and religious sectors.
Emotional appeal
One resident of Sulu even used Facebook to appeal and plead to fellow Tausug for cooperation and unity in view of the spate of abductions in the province.
In her emotional post, she said: “The distressing events that have unfolded over the past few days are intolerable. Sulu is our home. The Tausug people are our brothers and sisters. We are a family and family members are supposed to take care of each other. From one private citizen who is deprived of my freedom to enjoy the beauty of my province because of negative elements that are threatening my sense of security, I plead to my fellow Tausugs to galvanize in unity to thwart the wrong doers.”
“Let us be vigilant. Let us look after one another. Let us help the local government, in our own little way, with their efforts to bring back the peace that some are trying to steal away from us. Let us not be selfish and think only of ourselves. Let us refuse to live in fear. Let us fight for our right to have a good life. If we work hand in hand, barbarity can never dominate us. Again, Sulu is our home. Let us protect and defend it with our very own life. This province belongs to the majority and not to the very few whose only aim is to wreak havoc. The majority wants peace and that is what should prevail. No amount of bullet can surpass the power of prayers. So tonight let us pray for everyone's safety. As cliché as it may sound but this too shall pass,” she said.
Evil acts
Authorities have also appealed to the public to cooperate and be vigilant in their day to day activities. “Please report to authorities any suspicious persons or activities in your community. Your cooperation in crime prevention is very important,” the Sulu Area Coordination Center said.
“The relentless barrage of evil acts by lawless and dubious elements against peace-loving communities of Sulu can never cow the Tausug residents and their authorities to stoop down to mimic their ill-fated ways. Some call for oppressive interventions, in clear endorsement to imitate their preferred style, as a mean for reprisal against those criminals. But Sulu's leadership and its network of allies for peace and development will never ever deviate from the rule of law and respect for human rights that is the better option.”
“The nemeses are the culprits, not the authorities, no matter deficiencies may have been committed by those in the front line. Help them to be stronger and more effective, not help lawless to strike them down. All are in agreement that more solid actions must be taken, though the current leadership has never been remiss in the collective resolve to combat lawlessness,” the coordinating body said.
The Sulu Area Coordination Center - built during the time of then Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan - is where various agencies converge to address issues, resolve conflicts and find the best solution to current problems besetting the province. It is headed by local government officials and the military and police as members.
It was is a facility established as a proactive, reactive, and post conflict mechanism to address various concerns at regional and local levels of governance and to solve problems of coordination and response.
The Sulu Area Coordinating Center also functions both as a system and as a council for planning, integrating, directing, supervising, and implementing line-up government programs and projects particularly on political, socioeconomic, cultural, religious, development, security and information issues.
The Sulu Area Coordinating Center also functions both as a system and as a council for planning, integrating, directing, supervising, and implementing line-up government programs and projects particularly on political, socioeconomic, cultural, religious, development, security and information issues.
The province has a total of 20 Area Coordinating Centers – one for each of Sulu’s 19 towns and the central headquarters in Patikul town.
Anti-kidnapping task force
Just in February, police authorities said it up a Special Anti-Kidnapping Task Force to address the threats of kidnappings and abductions in Sulu.
Gov. Totoh Tan Tan said the creation of the anti-kidnapping task force by the police is long overdue “if we take into consideration the spate of incidences in the province, but nevertheless, as they say, better late than never.”
Tan has previously said that many kidnapped victims were taken from other provinces and cities only to bring and hide them in Sulu, dragging the province to a situation that gives a bad impression to the local peace and order situation.
Anti-kidnapping task force
Just in February, police authorities said it up a Special Anti-Kidnapping Task Force to address the threats of kidnappings and abductions in Sulu.
Gov. Totoh Tan Tan said the creation of the anti-kidnapping task force by the police is long overdue “if we take into consideration the spate of incidences in the province, but nevertheless, as they say, better late than never.”
Tan has previously said that many kidnapped victims were taken from other provinces and cities only to bring and hide them in Sulu, dragging the province to a situation that gives a bad impression to the local peace and order situation.
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