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Monday, March 23, 2003
Mactan airport adds guards to stop pro-Iraq raids
CEBU -- As the war continues in Iraq, authorities at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) tightened security by setting up checkpoints for all vehicles and baggage some 100 meters away from the airport complex.
This is one way of preventing sympathy attacks or violent protests against the US-led assault on Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein's government.
MCIA Authority General Manager Angelo Verdan also hired about 50 additional security guards and assigned them to watch the airport's perimeter fence and roads leading to the runway.
Immigration authorities under Director Geronimo Rosas are monitoring Middle East nationals and students to make sure they are not terrorists who may launch a sympathy attack.
Rosas said his office is coordinating with other agencies of the government in implementing security measures.
In a separate interview, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Operations Chief Lani-o Nerez reminded the police force to secure vital installations including seaports, airports, communication towers, power stations, water reservoirs and oil depots.
"Ours is more a proactive, not reactive stance. We just presented to them (police chiefs) the worst-case scenarios like water reservoirs might be poisoned or oil depots bombed. But we have not received actual and specific threats," Nerez said.
He said there is no truth to rumors Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters are out to poison Cebu's reservoirs.
MILF spokesperson Ed Cabalo, in an interview over radio dyLA, also denied the allegations and even said these talks are only circulating in text messages.
"I also received the same text message. Maybe it's part of the gimmick of texting companies. If you don't analyze the message, you'll surely be scared," Cabalo said in Tagalog.
The MILF, he said, has no time to launch offensives in the Visayas as they are concentrating on the military campaign in Mindanao.
Also in a dyLA interview, Hadji Nashir Ismael, chairman of the Visayas Regional Muslim Council for Peace and Development, denied that the Muslim communities received advice from the MILF to store fresh water.
Both Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Chief Josephus Angan and Central Command spokesperson Ruby Bongabong denied they received threats from the MILF.
But Angan said he has ordered the station chiefs to advise the security guards of vital installations within their area of responsibility to be strict in implementing security measures.
Tomorrow, PRO 7 will also assign additional policemen to CCPO as part of an augmentation team, now that the entire police force is on full alert.
Meanwhile, Supt. Art Evangelista, chief of the PNP Regional Aviation Security Office (Raso 7), said there are now three screening points for persons entering the airport terminal buildings. These are located at the door, X-ray machine and departure area.
Vehicles are no longer allowed to park or stay long near the airport terminals.
Evangelista also advised the public not to bring anything that is not related to their travel or their transactions inside the airport, to avoid delay.
"All persons who have transactions with the airport or those who send relatives must have the proper identification," Evangelista said. EOB/MBG/Sun.Star Cebu
(March 23, 2003 issue)
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