ILIGAN City Lone District Representative and Mayor-elect Frederick Siao assured travelers traversing the highway connecting the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Marawi via Iligan City that they have nothing to fear concerning security and safety.
Siao issued a statement on Friday, June 10, 2022, following a series of tweets made by journalist Raissa Robles regarding the safety of tourists if Mindanao opens up for tourism.
In one of the tweets, Robles said she is "concerned" for tourists going to Mindanao and suggested that even military personnel do not travel the said highway.
"Brother because you need to hear the truth. For instance, even military officers don't travel the highway connecting CDO to Marawi via Iligan at night. The highway has zigzag barriers near military outposts for a reason. But tourists are apt to wander everywhere. I'm concerned," Robles said in her tweet.
Siao said he takes exception to the insinuation of Robles, adding that she "tries to substitute her opinion for facts" and that her tweet has "no proper attribution."
"She only surmises about the presence of barriers near police checkpoints. Barriers are normal features of checkpoints," Siao said.
"Nauunawaan ko po si Binibining Robles. Hindi naman kaila sa ating lahat na nagkaroon talaga ng problema sa seguridad ng Marawi City at ang iba pang bahagi ng Mindanao noon; ngunit, nais ko pong magalang na ibalita sa kanya na matagal na pong iba ang sitwasyon dito. Ligtas na po ngayon. At ang mga police checkpoint dito, gaya dyan sa Manila, ay bahagi na lamang ng ordinaryong routine ng PNP (Philippine National Police) at hindi bunsod ng anumang banta sa seguridad," the mayor-elect added.
(I understand Miss Robles. All of us know that Marawi City and other parts of Mindanao really had a security problem back then; but, I would like to politely inform her that the situation here has been different for a long time. It's safe now. And the police checkpoints here, like those in Manila, are just part of the ordinary routine of the PNP and not posed by any security threat.)
Robles furthered that the police chief in Iligan also refutes Robles' insinuation and had already asked him to release a clear statement of the facts about the security of travelers on that highway at night and during daytime.
"Travelers going to or passing through Iligan have nothing to fear about their security and safety. Tourists are most welcome and they are a big part of our shot at prosperity," Siao said.
"I call upon the editors of Ms. Robles to please enforce their own measures on journalist ethics and discipline and conduct on social media," Siao said.
Earlier, outgoing Davao City Mayor and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio called out Robles for her tweets about Mindanao.
READ: Duterte-Carpio: Robles’s tweet ‘insulting’ to, ‘demonization’ of Mindanawons
Robles tweeted on June 2 her reaction to the plan of incoming Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, also Duterte-Carpio’s spokesperson, to open up tourism in Mindanao despite the presence of Abu Sayyaf Group terrorists in the region.
Duterte-Carpio found the tweet to be "replete with journalistic recklessness and irresponsibility."