Collaboration between gov’t and community key in fight vs terrorism

THERE are yet no reports of people from Marawi City taking refuge in Cebu City. There are also no reports of the presence of terrorists.

According to Chief Insp. Ramoncelio Sawan, information officer of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), in the fight against terrorism, collaboration is key.

He appealed to the public to be alert as the local police also called on the Muslim community in Cebu to help them avert terror attacks.

“Our Muslims brothers and sisters in Cebu City have always pledged their support to help us. They don’t want to destroy their relationship with the Cebuanos because they have considered Cebu as their home,” he said in an interview yesterday.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña also met with Muslim leaders in Cebu last Thursday to coordinate with them and ask their help in monitoring new arrivals in the community.

“We told them that we need their help to prevent anyone from coming here to create trouble. Ang style nila, when they come in, they have to have a local contact and that’s how we can detect them. They know that I am just reminding them because that was what happened before,” Osmeña said during a press conference yesterday.

The mayor also said the city will help anybody in need of assistance, “whether it’s from Marawi or any place. You know the people are in need of your help. Nothing to do with (what’s happening in) Marawi.”

Meanwhile, the CCPO is now coordinating with the Maritime Police, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Cebu Ports Authority regarding security in the seas and ports of Cebu City where terrorists could use as entry to the city.

A meeting among the agencies is set at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 29.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday declared martial law in Mindanao for 60 days as the firefight between government troops and Maute terror groups in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur continues.

Since Tuesday, 31 Maute terrorists, 11 soldiers, and two police officers have been killed.

President Duterte had earlier announced that he is considering extending martial law in the Visayas and Luzon regions to stop terrorists from sowing violence in other parts of the country.

While there are no terror threats to Cebu and other parts of Central Visayas, security blockades have been put up in strategic places in Cebu City to prevent or suppress lawless violence.

In conducting checkpoints, police give special attention to motorcycles and heavily tinted cars which are usually used to carry out crimes.

As part of the procedure, the police politely request drivers to open the compartments of their cars as well as its windows to find out if there are unlicensed guns and other contraband.

All inspections are done in “plain view” except if the police have earlier knowledge that the person being inspected has been involved in illegal activity.

Each checkpoint, Sawan said, is manned by at least eight policemen who must wear complete uniforms, put visible checkpoint signs, and bring at least one police car.

“So that we won’t hamper the traffic, I request motorists or drivers to cooperate with us. If you are not hiding anything illegal, please roll down your car windows immediately,” he said.

“We are limited to conducting visual search but we can also request them to open some compartments or bags. Still, they can refuse,” he added.