The Public Safety and Security Command Center is confident that the security arrangement would be able to cope with all possible threats confronting the city with the filing of certificate of candidacies by for next year’s mid-term elections. This was underscored by Ret. General Benito T. De Leon, chief of the PSSCC during the AFP-PNP southern Mindanao press conference at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday.
He said the assessment was made by the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) during its meeting on Monday.
“In the RPOC meeting presided by Governor Tyrone Uy, the general security assessment was the city as well as the other cities of the country remain under threat,” he said.
He said the RPOC identified as threats those that affect the security of the city, to include those posed by the New People’s Army terrorists, the speculations of the presence of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) outside the city, and by frontline organizations that manifested themselves in the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT).
“ACT may not be an armed threat but this is one of the frontlines,” he said.
He also included Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) ‘because even if they are located far from the city they still have the capacity to move to any place in the country, so Davao city is not an exemption.”
Despite all the threats, De Leon said that he is confident of the security arrangements of the city brought about by the coordination between the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“All together (they) provide a very good security arrangement, more than that we have force multipliers that is budgeted by the city,” he said.
He said that these force multipliers are the civil security units such as police auxiliary providing security to schools and government facilities. These Police Auxiliaries were recruited by the city to augment the DCPO including the City Traffic and Transportation Management Office (CTTMO).
“Your security forces are always collaborating and coordinating their efforts to ensure the security of the city,” he said.
“We still need the assistance and cooperation of the local population because Davao City is very wide,” he said.
He said that PSSCC is open for suggestion from the public to further improve the security of the city.
He revealed that some these efforts are being replicated by other cities and municipalities.
