CAGAYAN de Oro City police director Senior Superintendent Nelson Aganon on Tuesday, September 18, ordered his men to synchronize security efforts with village officials to curb criminality and deter possible terror attacks.
Aganon directed all police station commanders to mobilize the barangay tanods (village watchmen), Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (Bpat) and other force multipliers to help the police in implementing the target hardening measures.
Members of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) are instructed to focus on areas where crowd converged and places expected to be targets of terror attacks.
The order came after the full security alert status was raised anew by the Northern Mindanao police following the consecutive bombings in General Santos City and Midsayap, North Cotabato, over the weekend.
Aganon urged the public to stay calm but vigilant against suspicious personalities and activities.
The city's top cop also calls on internet users not to spread unverified information that may cause panic and alarm to the public.
"Spreading fake news in social media is highly discouraged instead use it as a medium for good and validated information which can be used in securing the city," Cocpo said in a statement.
The local police also asked motorists and the riding public to bear with the authorities during stringent security inspections in checkpoints that often times caused traffic congestion.
"Even how prepared, well organized and coordinated the police and barangay officials are, it will remain ineffective without the active support and cooperation of the public," Aganon said.
Cocpo released to the public its hotline 0936-401-7888/0917-771-3663.