Tighter security in the city before, during and after the Kadayawan Festival

DAVAO CITY, Aug 6 (PIA) Security deployment will be heightened in Davao City several days before, during and after the celebration of the Kadayawan Festival.

Speaking in the I-Speak Forum, Colonel Macairog Alberto, commander of the Task Force Davao City, nothing significant has changed on the terror threat despite the elimination of known terrorist like alias Marwan and Basit Usman early this year.

He said the security sector cannot afford to lower its guard against terrorism by which the threat is remains high with Davao City as the prized target.

“The threat always comes from outside Davao City with the previous incidents here attributed to Central Mindanao.  With the neutralization of the Jemaah Islamiyah leader and its local counterpart, we are still not discounting the capability of these groups to sow terror,” he said.

Macairog said even with the absence of a report to hit Davao City, the alert level of the Task Force Davao remains high.

Chief Inspector Milgrace Driz, spokesperson of the Davao City Police Office said that their unit has been entrusted the lead role to implement the security preparations for the Kadayawan Festival.

She urged visitors to follow the ordinances on the smoking ban in public places and the liquor ban.

Driz said they are still awaiting the order from Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who imposed a moratorium on the implementation of the speed limit ordinance in Davao City, pending the investigation of the alleged kotong cops and the issuance of identification cards for those enforcing the speed limit law.

However, she stressed that the police will implement stop and frisk approach to suspicious characters, aside from the deployment of more policemen on the streets, and random checkpoints on the entry points of the city.

“Backpacks, cannisters, bottled water, wearing of sunglasses and bull caps, carrying of bladed weapons and handguns will be prohibited particularly in the activity areas,” Driz said.

A total of 100 policemen from the Police Regional Office 11, 600 from the united force-multipliers from volunteer-civic-organizations and 900 Barangay Police Officers will be deployed for the occasion.  (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)