16 Sep Davao City Cooperates With Interpol, CDO Called on Hotels to Strengthen Security
Davao City government officials said, that they were given access to the vast intelligence database of International Police (Interpol) under an agreement.
To help keep the city safe and secure, the local government was granted to cooperate with Interpol.
The Davao City government is the first local government unit to have a formal cooperation with Interpol, said Benito de Leon, retired general and Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) chief.
De Leon said that the agreement with Interpol would raise the city government’s intelligence-gathering capability and help monitor the activity of supposed persons and groups of interests.
This agreement was approved after the deadly explosion on September 2 at Davao City night market that killed 15 persons and injured 69 others.
City forces are “using other means” to gather information to impede another terror attack, De Leon said.
Interpol is the world’s largest police organization with 190 member countries. Its primary role is to assist law enforcement agencies around the world in combating all forms of transnational crime and terrorism.
Connecting with Interpol does not mean that a foreign group is involved in the deadly explosion, De Leon clarified. As he spoke, “There is no international group behind (the bombing). It is something that is isolated.”
In Cagayan de Oro City, police are calling on hotel workers and security guards as they would play a vital role in preventing a terror attack in the city, Senior Supt. Ronnie Francis Cariaga, city police chief said.
Cariaga informed the member of Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (Cohara) that hotel guards can be the first responders to any possible attacks in the city.
“The police and military cannot do it alone,” Cariaga said.
Cariaga advised hotel guards to be vigilant and if they notice suspicious-looking packages, they should immediately report to the police and secure the area.
As for hotel workers, they should also report unusual activities of guests and clients. Cariaga added that the reporting should be done distinctly.
Cariaga advised Cohara to install security devices such as closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) on their other hotels and establishments.
A checklist of tasks like patrolling on hotel grounds should also be done by the hotel guards.
Cariaga stated, “Businesses should implement these measures to secure not their structures, but also their guests. They have a moral obligation to protect their guests.”
He added that non-guest should be prohibited from entering rooms and hotel clients should also present ID cards.
Cohara president, Nelia Lee stated that they are willing to cooperate with the police.
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