PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde placed on Monday, January 28, the entire police force under heightened alert due to the twin blasts in Jolo, Sulu that claimed 20 lives.

The alert is effective 12:01 a.m. of January 28.

PNP Director for Operations Mao Aplasca said the alert condition aims to ensure that no similar plans of terrorist groups will prosper and be carried out in other regions.

"Regional directors were instructed to initiate further security measures to preempt and prevent similar incidents to happen in your areas," he said.

“Based on our best practices in PRO (Police Regional Office) 11 and PRO 12 (Soccsksargen), mobilizing the community to help secure the communities is very effective, coupled with a better harmonized and well coordinated efforts of the PNP, AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and LGUs (local government units),” Aplasca said.

With the heightened alert status, police are also mandated to intensify intelligence, search and checkpoint operations and to strictly implement the election gun ban.

Policemen are also not allowed to go on leave.

Regional directors are however given discretionary authority to raise alert conditions in their areas of responsibility as deemed necessary.

A total of 20 people were killed, while at 98 others were wounded when two explosives went off at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday morning, January 27, while a mass was ongoing.

Among the casualties were Police officers 3 Joemar Sanson and Paolo Isolana and Seaman Second Jaypee Galicha, all personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard's (PCG) K9 unit.

Coast District Western Mindanao Commander Captain Joseph Coyme said Galicha was killed, while Sanson sustained burns and multiple wounds in the body and was rushed to a hospital in Zamboanga City.

Sanson, he added, is now in a critical condition.

Isolana sustained multiple wounds but is conscious and in stable condition.

The PCG condemned the attack.

PCG Commandant Admiral Elson Hermogino has alerted all PCG units in the area and directed them to join AFP and PNP personnel in the investigation and pursuit of the perpetrators.

“I am reiterating the instructions of DOTr (Department of Transportation) Secretary Arthur Tugade to ensure that all security measures are in place and strictly implemented particularly in all ports in southern Philippines. Be vigilant and keep our forces in the highest state of readiness," he said. (SunStar Philippines)