Friday, August 08, 2008 Military, police in S. Mindanao on red alert By Carlo P. Mallo
THE military and police in Southern Mindanao have been placed under red alert following the issuance of a temporary restraining order on the signing of the ancestral domain deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and amid the slated polls in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) on August 11.
During Thursday's AFP-PNP Press Corps forum, the military admitted they are monitoring two MILF detachments in the Davao del Sur and Compostela Valley-Davao Oriental areas.
Chief Superintendent Andres Caro II, Police Regional Office director, said he issued a directive on the red alert status in order to prepare the troops for any eventuality.
"It is still generally peaceful," as Caro would describe the over-all situation in Southern Mindanao but would still not let his guards down, especially amid intelligence reports of possible atrocities that will reportedly be carried out in Davao City.
On the other hand, Eastern Mindanao Command chief Major General Armando Cunanan downplayed the red alert status saying it is only a standard operating procedure of the military to ensure that all its personnel are ready for deployment.
"The conflict is only concentrated in the area of Aleosan, North Cotabato," Cunanan said.
The Eastmincom chief also clarified the movement of troops in Central Mindanao, saying that troop movement in the area is intended for the upcoming Armm polls.
Apprehensions are high over the possible resurgence of atrocities and harassments by the MILF after the signing of the memorandum of agreement on the ancestral domain between the MILF and the Philippine government hit a snag.
