The Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) is taking no chance in ensuring that no member of the dreaded Maute-ISIS group can set foot and recruit new members in the province as the country marks the first anniversary of the Marawi siege yesterday, May 23.
CPPO Director Supt. Manuel Abrugena said that the PNP is closely working with the military to monitor the perimeters of the province to prevent members of the terrorist group from reaching our shores.
Reports have been circulating that the group is again recruiting new members.
Abrugena said that the Visayas, being the nearest to Mindanao, might be a target location of the rebels to conduct their recruitment.
Abrugena added that they are also banking on the cooperation of the public to report suspicious persons in their
localities.
“ The PNP, the military, the community… nagtutulongan po sa pag-observe sa mga nangyayari dito sa atin. We are working closely doon po sa provinces na pwedeng pagsimulan ng mga recruiters. Kaya po, nakakasiguro kami na before anything na may masamang mangyari, na disrupt na po natin,” Abruguena assured.
Abrugena also urged the public to avoid spreading false information that may create panic and unsafe feeling to the members of the community.
“Sa atin pong community members na nagpapakalap ng mga fake news, mga intrigues… nananawagan po ako sa kanila na tigilan na ang mga ganung practices because they are not helping the community. They are sowing panic. So nakikiusap po kami na huwag na silang dumagdag sa kinakaharap na problema ng ating community,” he said.
Street protest
Meanwhile, militant groups greeted the commemoration of the first anniversary of the Marawi siege with a protest rally in the downtown area of Cebu City.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Central Visayas, Karapatan, Gabriela, Movement Against Tyranny and Piston participated in the demonstration that called for the lifting of Martial Law in Mindanao.
Jaime Paglinawan, chairman of Bayan, said that there is no point in upholding martial law in Mindanao since the Armed Forces of the Philippines had already declared that they have neutralized the remaining members of the Maute group.
Paglinawan claimed that the continuous reign of military rule in Mindanao has resulted in abuses against workers, peasants and lumads who are members of progressive groups in Mindanao. /With Laksmi Cañedo, CNU Intern