Police on heightened alert in Cotabato provinces to thwart terror attempts

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 18): Police on heightened alert in Cotabato provinces to thwart terror attempts

Police authorities in North Cotabato and South Cotabato have been placed on heightened alert following reports of possible terror attacks during the Holiday Season.

Senior Supt. Jose Briones, South Cotabato police provincial director, said all police units in South Cotabato’s 10 municipalities and Koronadal City have been placed on red alert status.

With this, Briones said vacation leave of police personnel was suspended for the whole month of December and a few days after New Year's Day.

He said uniformed police officers and civilian law enforcers have been deployed in densely populated areas to thwart any attempt to disrupt the revelries, including petty crimes.

“Police presence is a deterrent but we also need the cooperation of everyone,” Briones told DXOM-AM Radyo Bida.

He said police officers are now deployed in public areas like bus terminals, public markets and churches. Mobile police choke points were also established in the borders of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Saranggani provinces to prevent lawless elements from coming over the province.

In North Cotabato, Senior Supt. Alexander Tagum, provincial police director, admitted his area of coverage was included in areas in Mindanao where terror threat exists.

“But we are doing our best, with the people’s support, evil will not prosper in the province,” he said in a radio interview.

Earlier, Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista admitted receiving information from the National Intelligence Coordination Agency (NICA) where it said Kidapawan City was among the areas in the southern part of the country where terror alert has been raised.

Evangelista said police had been on alert even before the NICA report and it only confirmed earlier information about security threats.

Presiding over the Kidapawan City peace and order council meeting early this week, Evangelista revealed that communist guerillas have intensified its extortion activities, sending extortion demand letters to some business owners in the city.

Aside from the New Peoples' Army (NPA), the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Al-Khobar extortion gang, robbers, carnappers and bombers remain as the leading threats to security of North Cotabato and Kidapawan City, according to Tagum.

According to NICA report, threats were at alert level 3 in the towns of Aleosan, Kabacan, Midsayap, Kabacan and Kidapawan City. These towns are situated near the borders of North Cotabato and Maguindanao.

With or without NICA intelligence reports, Evangelista has directed the police and the Public Safety Division of the local government to intensify security measures. He also directed Kidapawan City director Superintendent John Miridel Calinga to deploy more police personnel in public places and employ the participation of police “force multipliers.”

“Vigilance is the key to everybody’s safety,” said Tagum whose unit had recently arrested suspected bombers and extortion gangs who were also engaged in illegal drug trade.

In South Cotabato, Briones also reminded the public to take personal safety measures while transacting business with Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) as crimes against property, including hold-up and robbery, normally rise during the month of December.

The military’s 57th Infantry Battalion is helping the local police in North Cotabato in maintaining law and order so the Christmas celebration will be peaceful. In South Cotabato, the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion is giving police back-up personnel and resources.

Both provinces have experienced terror attacks in the past mostly carried out by extortion gangs preying on bus firms and multinational companies.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=839387