Police: No vacuum in security forces deployment

From the Sun Star-Zamboanga (Nov 3): Police: No vacuum in security forces deployment

THE Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director assured the public on Monday there will be no vacuum in the deployment of security forces despite the pull out of military troops in the city.

Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro said troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT-1) have been deployed in areas vacated by the MBLT-11 forces.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) pulled out the MBLT-11 and reassigned the entire battalion to Basilan province to assist in pursuing the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

The MBLT-1 troops from Patikul, Sulu have replaced the MBLT-11 forces.

Casimiro said the MBLT-1 troops were immediately deployed at ground zero and other areas of this city.

Ground zero refers to areas that were severely affected during the 21-day September 2013 siege in this city.

The siege started on September 9, 2013 when hundreds of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members loyal to MNLF founding-chair Nur Misuari infiltrated several areas of the city.

Casimiro said the Philippine Army’s Division Reconnaissance Company-12 was also pulled out and replaced by troops from Army’s 21st Infantry Battalion.

“We have to make some adjustments as far as the security coordination in the posturing of our policemen as the security forces are making readjustment as far as the incident in Basilan is concern,” Casimiro said.

The AFP deployed the Army and Marine forces to help the police secure this city following the September 2013 siege.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/zamboanga/local-news/2014/11/03/police-no-vacuum-security-forces-deployment-374531