Cariaga to councilors: Threat was real

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

NOW, the city’s police director admits there was an actual terrorist threat during the procession of the Black Nazarene here last week.

Cagayan de Oro Police Office director Senior Supt. Ronnie Francis Cariaga told the committee on police, fire, and public safety that “There was a threat, actually,  but not only in Cagayan  de Oro City. Nationwide na siya nga threat, because of so many events in January.”

Cariaga told the committee chaired by Councilor Romeo Calizo that they received “raw information” days before the religious event that the Maute group based in Butig, Lanao del Sur met to plan an attack.

“Accordingly, the Maute group from Butig, Lanao sur, nag-meeting, and they were planning  kon asa sila mo-target. (But) this is raw information,” Cariaga told the committee.

He said they met with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Nica) and mapped out counter measures to the Maute threat.

Aside from the threat posed by the Maute group, Cariaga added, they had also considered a backlash from ambulant vendors after the crackdown of Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) around Cogon market on Jan. 4. He called it a “local security threat.”

“Although ang  ilang   mga threat epekto lang to because of the clearing operation but we had to address that one, and we called the vendors sa Maharlika,” Cariaga said.

Cariaga said they deployed at least 1,200 officers to secure the religious event.