Councilor to ask business sector to help protect Oro checkpoints

By JOEY NACALABAN
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondents .

SO, what happens when the targets for terrorist attacks are state forces manning the checkpoints themselves?

A councilor here on Wednesday proposed that the business sector help in fortifying the checkpoints in the city in order to protect officers and soldiers tasked to inspect vehicles — so that the police and military can continue protecting the public.

The proposal, from Councilor George Goking, came following the bomb attack at a checkpoint in Basilan, that killed 11 people, including what a the vice mayor of Lamitan City said was a suicide bomber.

If he can have his way, Goking said the checkpoints should be permanent structures with solid perimeter fences.

Goking, chairman of the city council’s trade and commerce committee, said he would meet with local business leaders to see what they can do to protect police officers and soldiers manning checkpoints.

“Mabutang ni nga part sa ilang social responsibility. Gamay ra man na nga kantidad kung tabangan lang. Unta masabtan ni nila,” he said.

Criminologist Manuel Jaudian said attacks on checkpoints have always been part of the security risks that authorities should have anticipated.

But Dr. Jaudian added: “There is no real protection for the checkpoints especially if these are mobile checkpoints.”

Jaudian however said a fixed checkpoint would reduce the risks because those manning it can surround it with sandbags for protection.

But he said the best protection would be to make vehicles stop at least two car spaces away from the checkpoint.

Supt. Mardy Hortillosa, spokesman of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, said authorities have started looking into how they could strengthen checkpoint operations following the Lamitan attack.

Hortillosa said the police here would resort to a new approach. “Dili lang namo mabutyag ang among strategy nga gihimo aron dili pud  matun-an sa mga grupo nga buot maghimog kada-ot, sa atong lugar” he said.

But city police director Senior Supt. Nelson Aganon said investigators have yet to determine if the Lamitan incident was really a case of suicide bombing or not.

Camp Alagar spokesman Supt. Surki Sereñas said authorities have learned some lessons about the Lamitan bombing this week which they can use to prevent a repeat of the attack.

Sereñas however cautioned against speculations.

Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. said Wednesday there is no conclusive evidence yet that a foreigner was involved in bombing.

Galvez however said it was likely that the driver of the van loaded with explosives happened to look like a foreigner.

A foreigner, he said, is not familiar with the terrain.

From all indications, he said, the bombing was the handiwork of the Abu Sayyaf,  and the motive could be extortion.

Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, Western Mindanao Command chief, said, “There is that strong possibility the driver was just a courier and he didn’t know anything about explosive, that it (van) was rigged.” (with reports from PNA)