Friday, August 29, 2008 CAR police okay sending of group to Mindanao
CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet -- The Police Regional Office in the Cordillera (Procor) is willing to field its mobile force to Mindanao if the need arises.
This was according to Chief Superintendent Eugene Martin, Procor director, who said Thursday he is only waiting for the go-signal from President Gloria Macapal-Arroyo.
Martin said the relative peace and order in the Cordillera region can allow for the dispatch of his men to conflict-ridden Mindanao, particularly to the Lanao provinces.
He is willing to dispatch a mobile force from the Procor to the war-stricken area because some personnel here are already losing their focus on containing insurgency in Cordillera.
"Our role is to maintain peace and order, with the focus on insurgency, particularly in Kalinga, Mt. Province and Abra. Fortunately, we have the Philippine Army in these areas," he said.
He added although the Procor has a good relationship with the Muslim community here, it is keeping watch on Maranao traders in Baguio and other urban areas in the region.
"We have to secure the situation so there would be no spillover of the Mindanao conflict in our region," Martin said.
"We have made close coordination with Muslim leaders and we had them pledge their assurance that they would keep the peace," he said.
At present, Martin revealed, there are about 5,000 to 10,000 Muslim traders plying their trade within the region. (ENO with Mau Victa)
