NEWLY-INSTALLED Cordillera Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) chairman and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong assured readiness of all security forces in the city and the region on possible terror attacks.
Magalong made the reaction after a memo came from Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) having reference to an intelligence leak and the corresponding command guidance. It contained an information received on August 2, of “Crusader City” with business centers and “Crusader Churches” in Northern Luzon being targeted for terror attacks.
“We conferred with the military and PNP commanders. I had a high level meeting with them and we discussed the threat and there is no doubt that the memo is authentic but still subject for validation but never the less, we have created the necessary measures as a proactive measure by the city on possible terrorist threats,” the mayor said.
Being a former police general, Magalong said the police force in the region always has its security plan and measures in dealing with these kinds of threats.
“We are pursuing a plan of action and there is sharing of information among all the security sectors to make sure we are well informed of the recent developments and at the same time our plan of action is continuous, measures are already being undertaken to make sure that we are hardening our targets making it difficult for the terrorists to launch an attack or its plans,” Magalong added.
Meanwhile, Police Regional Office Cordillera (PRO-COR) Deputy Regional Director for Operations Police Colonel Madeline Bazar said the memo indicated but was not limited to the areas of Laoag City, Vigan City, Manaog Pangasinan, and Tuguegarao City as the possible target areas of the terror threats. It gave the instruction to all its units to conduct a heightened intelligence monitoring, the issuance of a red alert status particularly on August 11-12 of this year, and declaring the said areas identified as high priority targets of the said directive.
“Although Baguio City and the Cordillera have not been listed in the targets indicated in the memo, we remain to be ready against any and all threats. So even if this memo have not been exposed, the Police Regional Office Cordillera have always been on alert and ready for any and such threats,” Bazar said.
Nolcom Deputy Commander Brigadier General Arwel Oropesa called on the public to refrain from panicking and continue with their normal routine.
“We continue to monitor the possible terrorist group. This memo is considered as a classified memo but we are validating this information,” Oropesa said.
Magalong stressed the need for the residents of the city being the seat of power in the region and the summer capital of the country to be calm and continue with their day to day activity but encouraged them to be vigilant and to report suspicious individuals in their communities to the nearest police station in their area.