The Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11) has reiterated its call to the public not to post any unconfirmed information of threats on social media.
PRO-11 acting public information officer Sr. Insp. Catherine dela Rey said that posting unconfirmed threat information could create panic and chaos to the public.
“It could be better if they noticed any suspicious looking people to immediately call the nearest police station and they could also text it to our hotline 0917-707-8547. Text immediately your information so that we can immediately verify it, ” dela Rey said.
Dela Rey said there was an incident two weeks ago of a banca docked that conveyed many people in Island Garden City of Samal (IGACoS) which was posted in Facebook by a netizen that caused panic to people.
“Daghan kaayo ang nabalaka ato kay unsa na ba daw to, basin terrorista na nga niabot (Many were worried and scared because they thought that terrorist already arrived),” she said.
She said upon verification of the IGACoS Police Station it was confirmed that the banca arrived in the islan but it was used by family who just visited IGACoS.
“Mapasalamaton kita nga vigilant na ang mga tao pero dili pud dayon ta mag-panic. I-inform dayon ang atong kapulisan para ma-validate namo, ma-verify og matagaan dayon namo og aksyon ( We are thankful that people now are already vigilant but we should not panic. Inform immediately our police so that the information will be verified and validated fo us to give appropriate acction),” she said.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Mindanao Command (EMC) continues to be proactive and aggressive not only in the conduct of security operations in the whole area of responsibility.
In a statement, EMC Martial Law spokesperson Brig.Gen. Gilbert I. Gapay said the has already made a total of 9,480 checkpoint operations were conducted in its whole area of responsibility.
While a total of 106 security operations to secure vital installations and critical infrastructures were executed to shield them from sabotage as of June 14.
There are also established 3,628 Informant Networks to strengthen the monitoring against terrorism.
He sid in the course of securing the sea lanes, the Joint Task Force “Haribon” is conducting profiling and registration of bancas sailing along Davao Gulf, while the Bantay Dagat is being strengthened to secure the sea lanes from terrorism and monitor the entrance of evacuees.
Gapay said apprehensions will be carried out to illegal and unregistered bancas along the Davao Gulf and other areas where illegal bancas are being monitored.
The Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao is keeping watch over the territorial borders to prevent terrorism and their entry in coordination with other agencies.
