MEETING.: Presidential Assistant to the Visayas Michael Dino (2nd from left) meets business sector leaders headed by Cebu Chamber Commerce and Industries (CCCI) president, Melani Ng, Regional Development Council chairperson Kenneth Cobonpue and Mandaue Chamber president Glen Soco with Armed Forces Central Comman commander Lt. .Gen. Oscar Lactao (left) and Police REgional Office in Central Visayas director Chief Supt. Noli Taliño at Dino’s office at Greenery Arcade along Pope John Paul II Ave., Barangay Kasambagan., Cebu City on May 30, 2017
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA
Extending the martial law in the Visayas remains an option.
Anticipating the possibility that President Rodrigo Duterte will decide to extend martial law to the Visayan regions, representatives of different sectors in the Visayas yesterday convened to prepare for eventualities.
Cebu-based officials of two top law enforcement agencies in the country — the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police — said there are so far no direct terror threats to the region.
But Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino said anything can happen.
“We don’t want the Bohol incident to happen again. We do not want (the) Marawi incident to happen in Cebu or in the entire Visayas,” Dino said during a meeting in his office at the Greenery Building in Cebu City.
This developed as leaders of the Muslim community in Cebu assured that what is happening in Marawi City will not happen in Cebu.
“We will protect Cebu at all cost,” said Hadjirasul Najib in yesterday’s 888 Forum at Marco Polo Hotel.
“We stay by our commitment to peace. Among us elders, we conducted several meetings and we agreed that there should be no spillover to Cebu,” added Najib, of the Al Khayriah congregation based in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.
Dino, however, said the government would rather be more cautious, particularly since 11 members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) had managed to enter Bohol last April, even as they all ended up dead in the hands of state forces.
“I just want to make it very clear that if ever the President declares martial law in the Visayas, it is to really protect the entire Visayas,” he said.
He added that martial law “Duterte edition” is different from what the Filipinos experienced over 30 years ago when the country was placed under martial rule by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.
Dino was speaking during the meeting that included members and leaders of Cebu’s business organizations, officials of Regional Development Council in Central Visayas, AFP Central Command (Centcom), and Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).
Task Force Visayas
The Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas was aiming to formulate an agreement in forming the Visayan Sea Safety and Security Inter-Agency Task Force.
Prior to the meeting with the business sector, Dino disclosed that they had a workshop attended by the military, police, operations and legal officers of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), PNP Maritime, Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Tourism (DOT), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), Philippine Ports Authority and the Philippine Navy.
He said they want the group to be ready and on stand by in case of a martial law imposition.
“Because again, we don’t want what happens in Marawi will happen in the entire Visayas. We need to protect Visayas as it’s very, very dangerous if it will happen in the Visayas,” Dino said.
“So (to address) the apprehension of the business sector and the public, please do not be afraid of martial law. It is giving more tools to our security forces to effectively protect us,” the secretary added.
Full support
Both Centcom commander Lt. Gen. Oscar Lactao and PRO-7 director Chief. Supt. Noli Taliño said they were prepared to provide all the needed support to Dino and the OPAV should the President decide to extend martial law to the Visayas.
Both officers said that should it happen, the President’s decision has to be obeyed since they have no doubt it has a basis since the President has access to information that they do not have.
Lactao and Taliño also assured the AFP and PNP will conduct themselves with professionalism should Duterte decides to extend martial law to the Visayas.
Right now, Taliño said, the PRO-7 remains in full alert status even as Central Visayas remains generally peaceful.
“Hindi pa natin alam anong magiging situation ng Visayas kung magkataon man (We still don’t know what will be the situation in the Visayas in the event there will be martial law here). . . . Central Visayas is generally peaceful. (Our) security (protocol) is in place, (along) with our AFP counterparts. We are still in full alert status,” Taliño said.
Business sector support
Melanie Ng, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said they are working very closely with the security forces in the Visayas.
The business sectors, she said, is prepared to also support martial law in the Visayas as she believed it will not be imposed unless it is meant to protect and secure the entire region.
She stressed they have to back the military and the police as security is a major concern for the business sector since business will not prosper in a troubled environment.
“We believe with the capability of our security forces led by AFP and PNP. And I’m sure with the enter-agency workshop conducted (Tuesday morning), Visayas is ready for any untoward incident that might happen,” Ng said.
At present, Ng added, it’s still “business as usual” in Cebu.
Close monitoring
Najib, on the other hand, said Muslim communities in Cebu are closely monitoring the arrivals of Muslim tourists.
“If there are radical individuals from the south who may intend to do violence here, information are immediately relayed to us by our counterparts. We are working closely with the police and military in gathering information,” said Najib.
Najib revealed that in the past three days, more than a hundred families from Marawi City fleeing from the raging firefight between state forces and the Maute terror group have arrived in Cebu City.
“They were distributed to various Muslim communities here. What they are going through right not is not easy. Some of those who evacuated arrived with no money and didn’t have enough clothes,” he said.
Najib said the leaders of the 32 Muslim congregations in Cebu are working together to monitor the arrival of their fellow Muslims.
“There were four persons that we had to be investigated upon arrival. They were eventually cleared after we learned that they just wanted to escape the firefight in Marawi and have been accommodated by their relatives here,” said Najib.
Najib said he is constantly receiving reports of what has been happening in Marawi.
“To the people of Cebu, we want to assure you that nothing bad will happen here. We could not allow those groups to create trouble because our children are studying here and we have our livelihood here,” he said.
Najib also condemned the group behind the siege in Marawi.
“If they are real Muslims, why attack Marawi and why Marawi of all places? This is very unfortunate. We were saddened by what has been happening and we sympathize with the sufferings of our Muslim brothers in Marawi,” Najib said.
Marawi has a population of 200,000 people, with more than 90 percent of whom are Muslim.
The city has been under siege since last week after militants from Maute group, which had links to Islamic State (IS) group, went on a rampage attack.
The siege prompted President Duterte to declare a 60-day martial law in Mindanao.
“We support the declaration of martial law in Mindanao. We will assess the situation after 60 days,” said Najib.
No basis
Centcom, on the other hand, downplayed reports that some members of the Maute group have arrived in Cebu.
“Based in our initial investigation, there are no indications that ‘persons of interest’ are already in Cebu. There’s no problem,” Col. Medel Aguilar, public information officer of Centcom, said in the same 888 forum.
“The threat will always be there. It’s a global threat now. The good thing is, it is not imminent in our area because there is no presence of armed group and we have not monitored any movements,” Aguilar added.
Aguilar, however, urged the public to stay vigilant.
“While we can say that the situation is safe, the vigilance of the people is still encouraged. Because who knows, baka pumunta sila dito, at least we are prepared. It’s important that we are always watchful and contributing our share to the security of the community,” the military official added.
Aguilar said authorities are taking steps to ensure to thwart possible attacks.
“We are doing so many things. We’re doing drills, consultations and we are reaching out to different stakeholders because in the fight against terrorism, everybody must be involved especially in information gathering. Our people must be aware of the threat and they must contribute their share,” he said.