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Wednesday, September 10, 2003
4th ID chief assures traders northern Mindanao is safe
By Rubelyn Yap
NOW'S the time for Filipinos to unite instead of being discouraged by the spate of coup rumors and graft exposes being paraded in public.
Fourth Infantry Division (4th ID) chief, Maj. Gen. Cristolito Balaoing, issued this call to Cagayan de Oro traders during the regular joint meeting of the Rotary Club of West Cagayan de Oro and the Inner Wheel last week.
However, Balaoing said while he can't give 100 percent assurance to the traders that Region 10 is totally safe he can say that northern Mindanao's peace and order situation is stable.
"There is no indication that there are sympathizers of the mutineers in the region but we are trying to connect some people but these people refused to sympathize," he said.
Balaoing said the businessmen shouldn't worry about the rumors of dissension within the Armed Forces ranks even with the departure of former Defense Sec. Angelo Reyes.
"We have a very strong organization. The institution will go on even without a secretary or a leader. That's what is good about bureaucracy because we are not dependent on a leader, we have to go on because the organization is unaffected," he added.
Balaoing said there is no time for businessmen to be discouraged adding that they should instead have faith in the system and in the unity of the people in Region 10.
"The impact of the political chaos in the national level and the mutiny aftermath is declining in Region 10 and there is no distrust," he said.
Balaoing said businessmen should go on with their usual business even as he advised them not to believe on what they see in TV and read in the papers all the time because one can hardly tell who's telling the truth.
"Our businessmen are better situated here in the region. We have fightings but they are normal. We don't have an alarming situation," he added.
Balaoing said things will be better for the country in the long run and he will be doing their job the best way they can.
(September 8, 2003 issue)
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