THE Davao Police Regional Office director on Monday, May 29, expressed his support for the passage of an ordinance requiring new and temporary residents in the city to register in their respective barangay halls following the persisting evacuation of people from Marawi City.
Chief Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan, during the Kapehan sa Dabaw held at the SM Ecoland Annex Building, said the resolution is with the endorsement of Public Safety and Security Command (PSSC) to the City Council, guaranteeing the security of the citizens along with the possible arrival of evacuees inside the city.
"It is the moral responsibility of any local government to accept and help out evacuees. Yet, we are aware of the dangers it may cause because Maute members may have joined the evacuees," Gaerlan said.
The resolution, he said, will help the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in easily apprehending suspected persons in every part of Davao City during martial law.
However, PSSC has not yet received any reports of evacuees from Marawi City arriving in Davao yet. Still, they are undertaking intensive checks, along with AFP and Task Force Davao, in communities these evacuees may have situated themselves in. Also, an ongoing profiling is also being undertaken by the security forces.
"Anytime soon we can already expect evacuees from Marawi City as the war there continues. The approval of the resolution must be done before the influx of evacuees happens," PSSC Chief Benito De Leon said.
Gaerlan said they are already planning to talk to all barangay leaders in the city for a dialogue concerning the necessary registration of new and temporary citizens.