Camp Alagar steps up security in Iligan

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
and NORA SORINO
GSD-Iligan bureau chief

CAMP Alagar sent a group from the Regional Public Safety Battalion to Iligan City where government stepped up security measures to prevent members of the Maute group from mixing with innocent civilians.

The stateun Philippine News Agency reported that authorities started a house-to-house census in Iligan on Sunday in response to an alleged threat that the city would be razed to the ground by terrorists.

Camp Alagar spokesman Supt. Lemuel Gonda there is no lockdown order in Iligan City, but only stricter and meticulous security measures.

Police director for northern Mindanao Chief Supt. Agripino Javier said the battalion would beef up security forces in Iligan, and ensure stricter mobile checkpoints and more patrols.

“We received reports that Maute group will likely go down to Iligan City. But we are still verifying and validating this report. The most affected is Iligan City, and then there is a possibility that the Maute group would move there (from Marawi City),” Javier said.

But as Javier ordered the police offices across Region 10 to strengthen intelligence information gathering and intensify security measures, he reminded law enforcers about the need for them to adheres to the rule of law and respect human rights in the implementation of martial law.

Police also sent more officers under Supt. Nelson Aganon to Marawi City to help in the ongoing offensives against the Maute group.

Iligan Mayor Celso Regencia on Sunday said measures were in place so that the city would not suffer a crisis similar to Marawi’s.

Marawi is just less than an houride from Iligan. Because of the exodus and the checkpoints, travel from Marawi to Iligan now takes over three hours.

Regencia said citizens should bear with the “strong checkpoints” and other security measures being implemented by the government.

He assured that city hall would be intolerant and would not turn a blind eye to possible human right violations.

Security forces are strategically positioned around Iligan, and low-flying choppers hover over the city from time to time.

The government also imposed curfew hours in the city from 10 pm to 4 am.

Banking hours were moved from 9 am to 5 pm. Malls now close at 6 pm. City hall also suspended the “night market” scheduled over the weekend.

Evacuees from Marawi are being housed at the School of Fisheries in Buruun, in Barangay Maria Cristina, and the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology in  Tibanga.

Regencia said Iligan is host to some 1,900 evacuees who fled from strife-torn Marawi.

Regencia said the Marawi crisis has given local officials “sleepless nights” but  they were optimistic it would end soon.

He ordered a census after city hall received a report on Saturday night that the Maute group planned to attack and burn five villages in the city.

Iligan city hall spokesperson Jose Pantoja said under threat were Tubod, Hinaplanon, Luinab, Mahayahay and del Carmen, all located in the city’s downtown area.

“Those without proper identification would be held for questioning,” Pantoja said.

The house-to-house census in Iligan are being conducted in all 44 urban and rural villages, Pantoja said. He said there was no cause for alarm.

“The city has adopted stricter measures by monitoring the movements of people from all walks of life to ensure the safety of the city residents,” Pantoja said. (with reports from pna)