Oro traders gather for security forum

ALARMED over the spate of killings in Cagayan de Oro City, the business sector will be holding a security forum that will give updates on the peace and order situation that resulted to people’s feeling of insecurity.

Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation (ORO Chamber) president Efren Uy encouraged business communities to attend and be informed of the status of armed robberies, murders and rebel infiltrations in the city.

Unconfirmed reports said business establishments here have been receiving extortion letters from the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army.

(Contributed photo)

Police Major Lemuel Gonda, chief operations division of the Cagayan de Oro Police (COCPO), however, said they have not received any information on the alleged extortion activity.

“So far unconfirmed pa man kana nga report. However we will not take it for granted and we will look into it,” Gonda said.

Ralph Paguio, former president of the Oro Chamber also said he has no information on the alleged extortion activities by suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

However, Paguio added the recent atrocities in Del Monte Company and the rise of criminality in the city will set back all their efforts of uplifting the economic condition of the place.

“The police must exert extra effort to prevent, contain and solve the incidents so as not to further disrupt business activities in the city. We are saddened with the spate of events that caused lives and negative goodwill it generated,” Paguio told SunStar Cagayan de Oro.

Paguio said such condition will “damage whatever goodwill they have generated.”

Such criminality also lead to staging protest actions by the Xavier University to dramatized their concern and appeal to the city government and the law enforcers in taking necessary measures to guarantee safety and security to the public.

The social advocacy arm of XU, the Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana – Social Involvement Office (KKP-SIO) staged a series of noise barrage in front of the XU campus main gate during noontime.

In a statement, the XU administrators, faculty, staff, parents, students and alumni of XU express their concern on the rising criminalities in the city and its impact to the city’s economic productivity and development.

“We call on the local leaders to convene the City’s Peace and Order Council and immediately respond to the issue of public safety and security,” the statement read.

The university also appeals for public vigilance. “Let us all be watchful of our own safety and security by doing precautionary measures.”

Since January 2013, more than 0 innocent lives have been wasted due to hold-ups and robberies where the suspects viciously shot the victims.

Some members of the City Council are also alarmed of the killings and urged Police Senior Superintendent Graciano Mijares of COCPO to face them since he has not make himself available for queries and updates.

“We demand as responsible taxpayers for the Mayor and the entire local police force to address this issue squarely, and to use their respectively intelligence funds prudently,” Nixon Baban, chair of Bangon Kagay-an, Inc. said.