THE Negros Occidental Tourism Division will be conducting a Tourist Police Training this coming August 17 and 18 at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall, Bacolod City. This workshop will be attended by 100 police officers. The training aims to educate our police officers that alongside their normal functions, they will be trained to assist tourism-related concerns to ensure the safety and security of both our tourists and the local community.
Provincial Tourism Officer Cristine Mansinares informed Mayor Mark Golez that I am invited as one of the resource persons. The invitation is accepted so that I can share what Silay Tourist Police Unit is doing. In addition to “The Functions of Tourist Policemen” and “Escorting a Very Important Person”, I added a new topic in my module, “Tourism and Terrorism”.
Our tourist policemen are aware that terrorism is a hindrance to our tourism. We want our guests to “Experience the Philippines” without terrorism. The purpose of terror is to terrorize. “Kill one and terrorize a thousand.” Terrorism creates a general climate of fear, so that over time, a specific political, social, or ideological goal can be achieved.
A good example of terrorism as goal-directed violence was the bombing of the World Trade Center on Feb. 26, 1993 and the crashing of the two commercial planes in the north and south towers of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. The car bomb is perhaps the most influential weapon in the modern terrorist’s arsenal. It is relatively simple to place an explosive like C-4 or Semtex on a vehicle where it cannot be easily seen. The bomb can be rigged to explode by a timer device or by remote control.
How do we profile a terrorist? He is a freedom fighter trying to bring attention to his cause. In law enforcement parlance, he is known as a “tango” or “crow”. Most terrorists are young, usually in their late-teens to late-20s just like what we see in Marawi. The terrorist lifestyle of hide-and-seek requires the vigor, daring, and fitness most often associated with youth.
The young are most likely to respond (like the Maute brothers) to a call-to-arms from activists that are older adults. Terrorists are basically lonely. They feel morally superior to others and believe that violence is justified to support the cause. This is the propaganda war-cry of Maute-ISIS in Marawi. Many Muslims joined because they believe that this could be the easy way to redeem their land from the corrupt Christians.
Extremist groups operate public relations arms that disseminate information to gain public support for their movement. Recruits are given group’s political indoctrination. They undergo a probationary period in which they are given tasks that test their commitment. The recruits learn how to undermine society while remaining within the law.
Later, they are taught about disruptive terrorism and trained in the use of explosives and weapons. Professional terrorist training are sponsored by Libya, Syria and Iran… suicide assaults, aircraft hijacking, booby traps, and guerrilla warfare tactics. Mail order catalogs can provide books and manuals on improvised explosive device, silent killing technique, combat tactics and more. Other information could be obtained in the internet.
Other things learned by a terrorist: sniping, hand-to-hand combat, making of poisons, effect deadly ambushes, creation of new identity, and evading law enforcement. Terrorists are agents of change. They use violence and fear to achieve an objective. It is that goal that drives them to threaten, frighten, kill, and destroy.
Terrorists siege political powers or overthrow a regime. This worries President Digong. They could win a specific concession through persuasive bargaining (free prisoners). This is what the Maute-ISIS is doing with their captive priest. They are up to demoralize society by showing a government’s inability to protect its citizens. They would want to obtain recognition for the group’s cause.
Tourist policemen don’t just learn etiquette and social ethics while protecting VIPs or tourists. Without them knowing, they are being watched by their faceless enemies. Terrorism can always start with tourism. If there are more terrorists in the Philippines , the heads of states can always tell their people to avoid our country.
We are training our tourist policemen because we don’t want our guests to experience terrorism in the Philippines. Let us work hard and help our tourist policemen to present a package of joy, peace and security to tourists.