OSMEÑA
CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is not taking the declaration of a Terror Alert Level 3 in the country lightly.
He said he was most worried about the terror threat because of the city’s annual Sinulog Festival in January next year, which is expected to draw thousands of local and foreign tourists.
“The probability (of a terror attack) is very high because they (terrorists) feel threatened… It’s very easy to leave a bomb anywhere. It can happen and they are motivated. They will put it where you least expect it. That’s why we should be careful,” he said in his press conference yesterday.
The mayor said he has been giving orders and guidelines to the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) on how to check the presence of possible terrorists in Cebu. He said they will also stage operations to try and catch possible terrorists while they are on the move.
He refused to divulge details on their plans so as not to alert extremists of the city’s counter-terror strategies.
The mayor likewise stressed it is vital that the public remains vigilant and careful.
“The most important is that people have to be aware of suspicious items that are being left behind. We will need a lot of volunteers,” he told reporters.
Those who recently noticed suspicious-looking people in their communities were urged also report to the nearest police station so that it can be investigated by authorities immediately.
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