BAGO City Mayor Nicholas Yulo said the City Government is planning to hold a dialogue with the Muslims who entered the city recently.
Yulo said the Bago City Police Office is closely monitoring the presence of some Muslims in response to reports that some evacuees from Marawi City may seek refuge in Negros Occidental because of the ongoing war between the government forces and the Maute group in their hometown.
“We have not monitored the presence of Muslim refugees. There are only Muslims who are applying for business permit or doing some business especially book selling in the city,” Yulo said.
Earlier this week, Undersecretary for Public Safety Jesus Hinlo Jr. of the Department of the Interior and Local Government met with leaders of the Muslim community in Bacolod to discuss cooperation to ensure protection of Bacolod from terror threats.
Hinlo said refugees from Marawi City are welcome to stay in Bacolod, but there is also a need to ensure that the city will be protected from terrorists.
“We informed (the Muslim leaders) that we sympathize with the refugees and the victims of war. We want them to be here in their time of need, but they should safeguard our place from terrorist,” said Hinlo, who hails from Bacolod. (TDE)