Troops secure teachers in Zambo island barangays

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 7): Troops secure teachers in Zambo island barangays

The Joint Task Force Zamboanga has deployed “substantial” number of troops to secure the teachers assigned in the island barangays of this city.

Some of the teachers commute daily on board motorboats from and to their respective assigned schools. Others travel every Monday and Friday as they stay during weekdays in their teaching stations.

“We provide security escorts to those teachers assigned in the island barangays. Our troops accompany them to cross from the mainland to the islands,” said Col. Leonel Nicolas, commander of the Joint Task Force Zamboanga.

But Nicolas declined to reveal the exact number of troops deployed to secure the teachers in five of the eight island barangays that have schools citing “operational matters”.

He said measures had also been implemented in all schools, including those in the island barangays.

Troops have been deployed to secure the teachers as there were four public school teachers assigned in the island barangays who were kidnapped in previous years.

Meanwhile, Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said classes in this city opened on Monday as scheduled with no major problems recorded despite the long queues in checkpoints.

Dr. Rosalio Conturno Jr., City Schools Division education supervisor for school governance and operations division chief, said school officials had been ordered to provide certification and temporary identification (ID) cards for their students in coordination with the barangay officials.

The city government has imposed the “No ID, No Entry” policy in a bid to shut possible access into this city of terrorists and other lawless elements.

“No issues or incidents have arisen or have been reported during the first day of classes,” Conturno said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/993812