Pacleb steps up Normin security after deadly blast

By NITZ ARANCON
and JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondents . 

POLICE director for northern Mindanao Chief Supt. Timoteo Pacleb has ordered authorities to beef up security measures throughout the region in the wake of the New Year’s Eve deadly bombing that killed two people and hurt at least 24 others outside the South Seas Mall in Cotabato City.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has issued a travel advisory for its citizens against travel to Mindanao and even southern Cebu due to threats of terrorism.

In Cagayan de Oro, the city police office said it would continue implementing a security plan started last month until the Jan. 9 procession of the Black Nazarene that is expected to be a crowd-drawer.

Camp Alagar spokesman Supt. Surki Sereñas said Pacleb issued a memorandum in reaction to the Dec. 31, 2018 bomb attack in Cotabato.

Pacleb’s memo directts all city and provincial police offices in northern Mindanao to double the alert level to prevent a similar bomb attack in the region.

Sereñas said police officers doing office work were also ordered to do fieldwork so as to increase police   visibility and help in the monitorings.

“Walay ibilin nga mga pulis sa ilang mga opisina. Ang ibilin lang kadtong mga civilian employees,” Sereñas said.

Supt. Mardy Hortillosa, spokesman of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, said city police director Senior Supt. Nelson Aganon ordered malls and other crowded places here to be guarded.

Hortillosa said the mall guards are supposed to secure malls from the inside while the police would be on guard outside the establishments.

He said Cocpo has continued to follow the security plan that was implemented before Christmas Day.

“Gi-consider man gud ni (Senior Supt.) Aganon nga kada adlaw na-ay threat. Ma-o tong ang among security plan niadtong December hangtud karon, naka-design gyud silbing counter measure sa mga terorista,” Hortillosa said.   

He said the same plan would be in effect during the Black Nazarene procession in the city on Wednesday.

Hortillosa said every police station here has been ordered to conduct at least a dozen road inspections every day.

“This is to ensure that no component of a bomb would be brought inside the city,” he said.

Aside from checkpoints, explosive ordnance disposal personnel and bomb-sniffing dogs would be fielded by police, he said.

But none of the security measures can guarantee public safety “100 percent,” said Hortillosa, adding that the police need the help of civilians with useful information about potential threats.

“Kung naa moy mamatikdan nga gibiyaan nga bag o baggage ba kaha, i-report deretso. Kung negative na mas OK but kung positive, at least maareglar dayon,” Hortillosa said.

At least two people were killed and 24 others were hurt, including a four-year-old girl, when an improvised explosive device went off at around 1:59 pm outside the South Seas Mall along Magallanes St. in Cotabato City on Monday.

“This is not just another terroristic act but an act against humanity. I cannot fathom how such evil exists in this time of merry making of our fellow Cotabatenos,” reads Cotabato Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi’s statement.

Police said initial investigation revealed that an unidentified man dropped a wrapped box seconds before the explosion.

Mayor Sayadi said it was “unimaginable” how some people can start the New Year “with an act of cruelty but no matter how you threaten us, the people of Cotabato City are resilient and we are stronger than how you think we are.”

“We will stand up against terrorism. We will fight against evil,” she vowed.

The mayor has released a list of the dead and wounded in the New Year’s eve blast.

From her list, declared dead on arrival at the hospitals where they were brought were Jonathan Tasic Torribaino a resident of Upi in Maguindanao, and Mariam Ulama Cali. Torribaino was rushed to the Cotabato Regional Medical Center while Cali was rushed to the Cotabato Medical Specialist.

Rushed to four hospitals in the city – Cotabato Regional Medical Center, Maternity  Hospital, Cotabato Medical Specialist and United Doctors Hospital were Krisha Max Amestoso, Nasrin Anding, Joey Api, Bai Sandra Ayunan, fourt-year-old Norlyn Biruar;

Tarhata Biruar, Aida Dalandag, Karen Diazon, Sarah Jane Esmael, Mohamidin Kahar;

Ryan Madali, Abdul Manan Mandito, Mohalidin Mandito, Romel Maskuban, Ibrahim Marsuban;

Alnair Mocado, Aida Mocado, Maylove Natano, Samanodin Romuhida, Naida Sampurna;

Kutin Sedik, Hamida Solaiman, Denise Marie Torre and Marissa Torres. (with reports from Ferdinandh Cabrera of Mindanews)