Despite the conclusion of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on Thursday, the red alert status will remain in force in various field units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) in Northeastern Mindanao.
The red alert status remains as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) prepares for its anniversary on December 26, 2015.
It was also learned that such measures had to be imposed in order to thwart the “tactical offensives” of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA), the armed wing of the CPP.
Maj. Gen. Oscar T. Lactao, commanding general of the AFP Northeastern and Northern Mindanao 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division (4th ID) and Chief Supt. Vert T. Chavez, regional director of Police Regional Office 13 (PRO-13) ordered their respective field unit commanders to “continue without let up” security operations in their respective areas of responsibility (AOR).
All field unit commanders were also ordered to closely watch all vital government and private installations in the region, particularly on power, water and communication facilities, aiming to avert any terroristic activities posed by the lawless group.
Urban police directors spread in the six cities and five provinces in Caraga region were also ordered to conduct round-the-clock patrol in all air and sea ports, malls, markets, terminals and other public places as the long vacation for the celebration of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day is also fast approaching.
“Our main concern here is the safety of all residents in this region, including visitors and tourists,” Supt. Martin M. Gamba, regional spokesman of PRO 13 told the Manila Bulletin yesterday.
He added that additional tourist police are already deployed in all tourist destinations in the region, particularly in Siargao Island (Surigao del Norte) which is frequented by foreign nationals.
Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Francisco T. Matugas and his wife Gov. Sol F. Matugas with mayors, other top military and police officials and hotel and resort owners conducted last Tuesday a peace and security forum at “Kapitolyo Nan Siargao” in Dapa town, Siargao Island and laid down several security plan for the safety of all tourists, both foreign and domestic, including the residents in the nine towns of the island.
The meeting also resulted in the deployment of additional police and military units including “Tourist Police” personnel in the island, for the safety of all vacationers and residents, especially in all tourism hubs in that so-called “Paradise Island” in Mindanao.
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