Puerto Princesa signs commitment to stay alert vs ASG threats

From the Philippine News Agency (May 3): Puerto Princesa signs commitment to stay alert vs ASG threats

A commitment agreement to keep this city safe from threats of the Abu Sayyaf and other communist-terrorist groups was signed here late Tuesday afternoon by various peace and order stakeholders and the leadership of Mayor Luis Marcaida III.

The signing of the commitment was done following a meeting of the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC), a coordination body which plays an important role in maintaining the peace and order in Puerto Princesa.

Marcaida said the commitment holds the Philippine National Police (PNP) office in the city, the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Western Command (WESCOM), business sector, barangay officials, religious sector, and Muslim brothers responsible to ensure that none of the communist-terrorist groups would be able to disturb the peace and order situation in Puerto Princesa by being attentive and ready to act against any situation that poses a risk on the lives of residents.

In an interview with Marcaida shortly before nightfall on Tuesday, he said that despite the WESCOM’s confirmation that reports about the presence of armed ASG members were “confirmed negative, it is still better for everyone to be on alert without let up.”

This should be done to protect the contribution of the tourism industry to Puerto Princesa’s economy, especially since it is a tourism destination in the province and the Philippines.

Marcaida said residents living near the coastal areas of the city, as well as fishermen who frequent the sea, are requested to report suspicious-looking individual, groups, or situations like what was done in Bohol immediately to authorities to prevent untoward incidents from happening here.

“We request our residents who live in the coastal areas, our fishermen, to be constantly on alert to report individuals or situations that do not seem to be normal to our authorities as soon as possible, so we can prevent anything that will disturb Puerto Princesa’s peace and order condition,” said Marcaida.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), on the other hand, issued a directive to all barangay officials that they are duty-bound to help ensure that are vigilant in their areas against threats from the ASG and other communist-terrorist groups.

The signing of the commitment was done following reports on the third week of April that alleged armed members of the ASG were spotted in southern Palawan, and after the incident in Bohol.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php/articles/984522