Stakeholders beef up security efforts in Davao Oriental

From the Philippine Information Agency (Sep 13): Stakeholders beef up security efforts in Davao Oriental

Stakeholders on peace and order have beefed up the province’s security efforts following the blast in Davao City on September 2 that left 14 people dead and more than 60 injured.

Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang, who has convened the members of the Provincial Peace and Order Council in an emergency meeting recently, said it is of utmost importance that ‘we assure everyone of their safety’.

He ordered the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police to intensify the province’s security measures. The Governor said he wants to tap the military reservists, the Barangay Peace Action Teams (BPATs), and the purok leaders as force multipliers in monitoring activities in the streets and the barangays.

He told the members of the PPOC that people should not think that attacks are limited to only one target area. “Any place can be a target that’s why it’s imperative that we must prepare to protect our province against any threats,” said Governor Dayanghirang.

Ensuring the province’s safety, the military and the police have strengthened their coordination.

Col. Bienvenido R. Datuin, Jr., Commander of the 701st Brigade of the Philippine Army, said the military has augmented the forces of the police, especially in the capital City of Mati. They have also deployed more military personnel to enhance police forces in intensifying checkpoints on key areas. He said that all available forces will be used to closely work with the PNP.

For his part, PSSUPT Harry Espela, Provincial Director of the Provincial Police Office said that the police forces are focusing their efforts on prevention of attacks and other criminal activities.  He said they have mobilized police forces along with the BPATs. While the province is surrounded by seas, Espela said that the police are also mobilizing troops along coastal areas as open waters are often exploited by criminals as a means to move in or escape.

CONCERTED EFFORTS

Governor Dayanghirang said he stands behind President Rodrigo Duterte on his declaration of the ‘State of Lawless Violence’. He said he strongly supports the national government’s call to all local chief executives ‘to back security efforts of the PNP and the Armed Forces in the establishment of necessary security mechanisms to protect the public from the threats of terrorists and lawless elements’. He said that while the national government is doing its best to assure the people of their safety, supporting it is the least that the local government can do. “This is everybody’s concern and it is our responsibility to help the national government in keeping the people safe,” he said.

Encouraging unity and convergence, Governor Dayanghirang stressed the importance of vigilance among the people. He urges the citizens must do their fair share in protecting the community by reporting suspicious activities to the authorities.
“Everybody must become a watchdog,” he said. He added that terrorism is everybody’s concern, not just the government officials, the military and the police, but it involves the entire society.

Furthermore, Governor Dayanghirang encouraged local government units to support the Department of Interior and Local Government’s Masa Masid which is a barangay-based anti-criminality program. Primarily designed to counter illegal drugs and corruption, the Masa Masid’s mass-based and multi-sectoral approach can also be tapped to help fight terrorism.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1591473737100/stakeholders-beef-up-security-efforts-in-davao-oriental