BAGUIO CITY – The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police are intensifying efforts to prevent any terror activity in the city of Baguio and in the Cordillera region .
During the Joint Cordillera Regional Peace and Order and the Regional Development Council Meeting at the Presidential Mansion House in Baguio City on Friday, both the high ranking officials of the AFP and the PNP said they are working together to ensure safety and security in the region.
“We are always intensifying our efforts and we will not let our guards down,” said 54th Infantry Battalion Commander Col. Leopoldo Imbang.
Imbang said that they are strengthening their efforts in collecting and gathering of intelligence information on the threats both by the CPP-NPA-NDF or the CNN and the threats from the Islamic extremist which are causing the challenges in Marawi City today.
Imbang said that Baguio City and all other city and provinces in the country are most likely to be targets of any terrorist threat but the AFP with the PNP are beefing up all its operations to ensure that these threat would not happen.
He added that among the efforts being strengthened by the military and police is the collaboration and coordination the different stakeholders and the community particularly with the local government units, national government agencies, civil society organizations, private sectors and other communities.
“We will always be pursuing of high level, high intensity and collaboration efforts, we cannot let incidents in Mindanao be repeated in any part of the country,” he said.
Imbang also explained that the recent TV interview of a member of the Bangsamoro Freedom Fighter in Mindanao using a bonnet with markings of “Baguio City” should not be a sign of any terror threats in the city of Baguio or any danger among the residents. “We are confident that terrorist threat will not happen in Baguio City.” he added.
For the part of the PNP, Police Regional Office – Cordillera Deputy Regional Director for Operations PSSupt. R’win Pagkalinawan said that the PNP is also strengthening their presence and efforts in the region.
Pagkalinawan said PRO-Cor intensified its operations including police visibility and the police patrol system in the different vital installations, places of convergence and other places frequented by visitors or tourists not only in Baguio but in the whole region.
He added that they also have conducted dialogue and consultations with the different security agencies to make sure they are ready to handle and response any untoward incident or terror threat that may occur. They also are conducting forums and consultation with the different vital installations, establishments and industries to make sure of an effective security plan to be undertaken during such threats.
Police stations are also being strengthened with the Oplan Bakal by placing fortifications such as barriers at the different police stations to ensure that these stations would be safer against any threat that may come. It could be remembered that most of the police stations are being targeted by NPAs. /RMC- PIA-CAR
