By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
CAMP Alagar has ordered officers here and elsewhere in northern Mindanao to start frisking people at checkpoints as part of the martial law security measures.
The implementation of the new order resulted in vehicles queueing up from El Salvador City to Luyongbonbon in Opol, Misamis Oriental where the police set up a checkpoint. As of 2:30 pm yesterday, the slow vehicular traffic build-up there was about two kilometers.
The vehicular traffic flows were also slow in barangays Agusan and Lumbia because of checkpoints.
Supt. Lemuel Gonda, Camp Alagar spokesman, said the order to frisk applies to all checkpoints in Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin and Bukidnon.
People in vehicles, private or for public transportation, may now be obliged to step down and submit to frisking.
Gonda said only persons with disabilities or ailing would exempted from the friskings.
He said that it would take officers an average of one minute to frisk people in a private vehicle, 10 minutes or more for people in a public jeepney and bus and five minutes to inspect a cargo truck.
Gonda however said officers may allow vehicles to pass the checkpoints if there are no suspicions and provided that side windows and compartments have been opened.
He said the new order was sent to all local police offices in Region 10 in an effort to strengthen checkpoint security.
Aside from frisking, officers were also directed to compel drivers to open all vehicle compartments.
Gonda said the police has also started using highly trained dogs in strategic areas.
He called on the public to understand and cooperate with the police.
“Para man sab kini sa ato tanan,” Gonda said.
Police regional director Chief Supt. Agripino Javier said more checkpoints would be set up in the region especially in areas near strife-torn Marawi City. He said the situation was not normal and police needs more public cooperation.
Javier said officers manning checkpoints in neighboring Iligan City would be stricter because it is seen as a “critical area” due to its proximity to Marawi City.
“Nandito tayo sa martial law at dala ng pangangailangan, napilitan tayo mag-implement sa Iligan City,” he said.
He said people were being asked to present their IDs at the checkpoints. Those who could not show any are subjected to “more verification.”
Javier said police also stepped up security measures at evacuation centers in Region 10 to make sure Maute group members would not intermingle with evacuees.
He said one good thing about the martial law implementation in Mindanao is that the crime rate dipped in northern Mindanao up to Zamboanga.
Javier said even petty criminals like robbers and thieves slowed down for fear of the military rule in Mindanao.
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