Thursday, August 21, 2008 CAR untouched by Mindanao turmoil By Jane Cadalig
THE armed conflict in the south is not affecting the peace and order situation in the Cordillera, the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (Procor) in Baguio City assured.
Procor Director Eugene Martin said the tension besetting communities in war-torn Mindanao is very unlikely to spill over to the region.
"There is no indication the problem brought about by the war in the south will affect the (peace and order situation) in the region," Martin said, following a regional command conference at the Procor on Wednesday.
He, however, said this does not make the police force complacent, admitting that problems on insurgency still top the police concerns in terms of peace and order.
Concerns of people, particularly traders from the south flocking to the region due to the armed conflict were also dismissed. Martin said most of those affected by the war are the farmers.
The region has an estimated population of 10,000 Muslims, based on data of the Cordillera Muslim Association.
Traders in the conflict areas have complained of waning businesses due to the attacks done by members of Moro rebel groups in some towns of Lanao del Norte and Sarangani provinces.
While assuring peace in the region, Martin is not discounting the possibility that problems on terrorism are perennial to Cordillera.
"Our police stations are mandated to always be on guard, as we continue our efforts in (getting rid of) the communist terrorists," Martin said.
The provinces of Abra, Kalinga and Mt. Province are identified as the areas most vulnerable to insurgencies, while crimes against persons and properties dominate police records in Baguio and Benguet.
Heads of various provincial police offices declare their areas of responsibilities "generally peaceful", while lack of personnel and mobility was cited.
The regional office is expecting 10 additional police cars and 135 personnel from the national police headquarters this year.
