Police to increase visibility to ensure Cebu’s safety

The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) in a dialogue with local chief executives in Cebu to discuss the travel advisory issued by the Foreign Commonwealth Office of United Kingdom following the bombing at the Cathedral of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo last Sunday. CDN Digital photo | Rosalie Abatayo

CEBU CITY, Philippines –Law enforcement units in Central Visayas will be visiting the southern towns of Oslob and Badian on February 3 to discuss measures that will help ensure the safety of Cebu from any threat of terrorism.

Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas, regional director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7),  said they will meet with tourism stakeholders to discuss how the law enforcers can help in ensuring the safety of tourists and locals in the towns.

”We will meet with the stakeholders, tourist spot operators, local chief executives to check kung naa ba silay problems and how the PNP, AFP and Coast Guard can help them if naa,” Sinas said.

Sinas said the visits in the southern towns will be a “reinforcement that Cebu is safe.”

Sinas made the announcement after having a dialogue with representatives with of  in the southern part of Cebu and Metro Cebu  on Wednesday afternoon, January 30.

“Number one gyod gi-tackle nato katong sa Jolo. Karon giinvite namo ang Metro Cebu, we are very concern kanang mga simbahan nato,” Sinas said.

Last Sunday, over 20 people died in a twin bombing while a Mass was being held at the Cathedral of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Jolo, Sulu.

Shortly past midnight on January 30, a grenade blast in a Mosque in Zamboanga City also killed two persons and hurt three others.

After the the twin bombing in Jolo, the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the United Kingdom has reminded their nationals of the travel advisory against Mindanao and the southern part of Cebu, from Santander until Badian and Dalaguete, which they first issued in 2015.

“In line with that also is the advisory sa UK nga dili safe sa southern part of Cebu. That is why giinvite nato kadaghanan sa mga mayor southern part of Cebu to shed light and sa ilang lugar, they all said peaceful naman okay naman ang presence ng police,” Sinas added.

During the meeting, Sinas said they agreed to augment police visibility in the towns and strengthen the presence of tourist police units.

“Nonetheless, we seek their advice kung unsa among ikatabang. mao to among gi-discuss ganina and gusto lang nila ipakusog nila ang tourist police which we will be doing,” Sinas said. /bjo