ZAMBOANGA City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar on Tuesday, July 31, advised the public to remain vigilant even as she alerted the security forces to tighten security measures following the car explosion in Basilan province.
Salazar convened a meeting in her office to discuss security measures in the city on the same day that an improvised explosive device went off inside a van in Lamitan City, Basilan.
The explosion, which authorities blamed on the Abu Sayyaf Group, killed a soldier, a 10-year-old child, the driver of the van and eight others.
Those who attended the meeting in Salazar’s office were: Colonel Leonel Nicolas, Task Force Zamboanga commander; Senior Superintendent Alan Nazarro, Zamboanga City Police officer-in-charge; Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde; Councilor Josephine Pareja, chairperson of the City Council’s peace and order committee; City Administrator Angelique Go; and, representatives from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Marines and other agencies.
Salazar urged the public to support and cooperate with the police and military as they enforce strict security measures.
She also instructed the Zamboanga City Police Office and Task Force Zamboanga to tighten all checkpoints at the entry and exit points of the city as well as conduct coastal and sea patrols.