06 Sep CDO Mayor Moreno Proposed to Establish Homeland Security Department
On September 5, Monday, Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno proposed to establish a “homeland security department” to maintain peace and order in the city.
To guarantee that military forces are coordinating and harmonious in enforcing security measures, Mayor Moreno assembled the police, military, and other state security forces.
The city mayor stated, “City Councilor Romeo Calizo will lead a technical working group, city-wide, that is meant to improve collaboration among everyone in the security sector, including other agencies of government.”
City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA), and other security sectors are to be integrated said, Mayor Moreno.
Mayor Moreno added that this department is not a temporary task force but will be an institutionalized unit.
He stated, “Every resource, all the resources that we have they can use. What we will do is help harmonize and build team effort. It’s so difficult to talk to each other only in cases of emergency. We should begin very earlier.”
More soldiers were deployed from the Army’s 4th Infantry Division to tightened security around the city.
Mayor Moreno said, “You don’t see them but they’re here. They just want to make sure they don’t cause unduly apprehension. Nahibalo ka na daghan dayon muingon that we are being militarized. They are here to help, but they are just also cautious that their presence would not be taken as Cagayan de Oro is being militarized.”
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte declared a “state of lawlessness” in the Philippines authorizing the military and police to conduct security searches on vehicles and inspecting individuals in checkpoints.
The President said that this declaration is for the protection of the country and the people given his intensified drug operations, extrajudicial killings and terrorism not only Davao but also in some areas, particularly in Mindanao.
The police and military units immediately followed orders after the declaration as they are now enforcing security measures all over northern Mindanao knowing that it is a possible target for terror attacks.
Mayor Moreno stated, “Every corner of this world is very vulnerable to threats. You hope for the best but you prepare for the worst. Security has to be focused, you look at every lead and all the things that could possibly happen and our city is not spared with that.”
He added, “I would not be happy announcing nga naay threat, there are info that should not be openly discussed because it may frighten the public. We have to be responsible… Terrorism aims to sow fear and we won’t let that happen.”
News Source: SunStar
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