Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, the director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas. CDN Digital photo | Alven Marie A. Timtim
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Despite having no direct threat to Cebu after the June 28, 2019, Sulu bombing, which was done by suicide bombers including one Filipino, Police Brigadier Debold Sinas, Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), is encouraging the public to be vigilant.
Sinas made this call as police tightened security in the region as he again assured that there is no direct threat to Cebu and in Central Visayas.
Malacañan Palace earlier released a statement that this was an alarming discovery because it was unprecedented and had gone against the nature of Filipinos, who are not known to commit suicide for terrorism.
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For Sinas, it is natural for the PRO-7 to tighten the security of the region because Cebu would always be a possible target as it is the center of Christianity in the country.
“Actually, very concerned mi ato. We are very alarmed kay kita ra ba, daghan kaayo tag activities diri. Traditionally, we are a Christian area basin mahinumdoman nila. We are the second target to Manila,” said Sinas.
(Actually, we were very concerned with the report. We are very alarmed because there are a lot of activities going on here in Cebu. Traditionally, we are a Christian area and they may remember that. We are a second target to Manila.)
Sinas said that there had been dialogues, consultations, and exchanges of intel reports to determine if there would be a direct threat to the region.
The police are also communicating with the Muslim Community for coordination.
Sinas said that his main goal would be to establish communication and intel sharing with the Police Regional Office in Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (PRO-ARMM) so PRO-7 could be alerted immediately for any threat.
This is part of the preventive measures the PRO-7 is already undertaking to prevent the any terror threat in the region.
He also met with the police officials in Camp Crame to discuss the protocols to be done in the case of a suicide bombing alert since this had not really been established yet in the region.
Sinas again called on the public to report any suspicious activities in their area especially the entry of suspicious individuals.
Sinas also assures again there is no direct threat in Cebu or in Central Visayas, but the public should remain vigilant for safety reasons./dbs