The military and police leadership in Northern
Mindanao allayed fears of a spillover of the armed conflict in
Lanao del Sur to its neighboring provinces in the region.
In a separate interview with the Philippines News Agency
(PNA), newly installed Philippine National Police (PNP) 10 spokesperson Supt.
Surki Sereñas and 4th Infantry Division spokesperson Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez
agreed on one thing – that the police and the military would never allow the
terrorists holed up in a remote part of Butig in Lanao Del Sur to spread the
conflict in the region.
While Lanao del Sur is not part of northern Mindanao , it does not fall under the civilian
jurisdiction of the PNP 10 or the military jurisdiction of the 4th Infantry
Division.
Still, its proximity to northern Mindanao
could be worrisome.
“The Police Regional Office 10 has actually taken
countermeasures even before the incident in Lanao del Sur happened,” Sereñas
said.
"Actually, during the onset of the bombing of the
transmission towers, the regional police has already intensified intelligence
buildup and checkpoint operations in the boundaries of both regions (ARMM and
Region 10)," Sereñas added.
The provincial police office in Lanao del Norte has a ready
complement from the Regional Public Safety Battalion and their own public
safety companies in case of eventualities, he said.
“Should the situation escalate, we have troops that are
ready to be deployed to protect the civilian populace, their properties and all
vital installations,” Martinez
Last Friday, the Philippine Army overran the terrorists’
camp associated with Jemaah Islamiyah in Butig, killing 42 lawless armed men
and three soldiers.
The fighting started on Feb. 20 when the terrorists attacked
an Army detachment in the area.
So far, the terrorist suffered more than 50 casualties while
the military incurred 11 killed in action.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=862271
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