ASEAN security team reviews plan after peace talks suspension

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 10): ASEAN security team reviews plan after peace talks suspension

The Peace and Order Committee for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is reviewing the security measures for the meetings in 10 cities in the country in light of the government’s declaration of intensified offensive against the New People’s Army (NPA).

Interior and Local Governments Undersecretary Catalino Cuy, chair of the committee for security preparations and the ASEAN peace and order team, said the review would be on a case-to-case basis depending on the level of the security threat.

While there is no specific threat for now, Cuy said they are tasked to look into all angles “because we are not taking for granted (all information).”

“We monitor all developments and protest rallies,” Cuy said.

Earlier, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines is considering the NPA as threat to the security of the city.

According to Cuy, they will consider changes in collaboration with the international security.

Davao is an immediate concern not only because it is the home province of President Rodrigo Duterte but also because it is the only city in Mindanao to host ASEAN meetings.

Cuy said this is the first time that an ASEAN meeting will be held in Mindanao.

Davao City is among the 10 cities as sites of the ASEAN meetings. The others are Manila, Puerto Princesa, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu, Boracay, Bohol, Clark.

Cuy’s committee takes responsibility for all the security preparation in collaboration with 21 agencies including the Armed Forces of the Philippines with a primary responsibility to secure ASEAN activities from now until November, this year.

Cuy said there are 120 activities to be conducted in the Philippines. These are the two leaders’ summit, the ASEAN + partners (21 heads of states), the meetings of the 10-member countries, the 15 ministerial level meetings, 31 senior officials’ meeting and the 72 technical working group meetings.

Given this, Cuy said additional deployment is also considered although they already brought personnel from central offices to augment the forces here.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=962569