City SP reveals LACAP ‘inclusives’

Vice-Mayor Graham Nazer Dumama

COTABATO CITY --- The 15th Sangguniang Panlungsod here has revealed the inclusive details in the Local Anti-Criminality Action Plan (LACAP) which the council has approved and adopted as crafted by the executive department to further maintain peace and order in the city.

City Vice-Mayor Graham Dumama said among the inclusions in the plan are measures against kidnapping, bomb threats,shootings, carnapping, robbery, and illegal drugs.

In anti-kidnapping, he said there is intelligence report stating that the Sulu-based kidnapping groups,the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Maute group,are planning to expand its kidnap-for-ransom activities in Region-12 of which Cotabato City is part of.

He said the Cotabato City Police Office in coordination with the AFP counterparts is formulating its anti-kidnapping plan to counter these threats.

“It is assumed that the ASG, Maute Group, and other kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) groups such as the splinter rebel group --- the BangsamoroIsliamic Freedom Fighters(BIFF) --- will sow havoc/terror to embarrass the governance of the city government,” Dumama said.

For the action plan against bombing threats, Dumama said security guidelines have been set with procedures and tasks of every police station of the Cotabato City Police Office (CCPO) in close-coordination with barangay officials as well as AFP counter-parts, particularly the 5th Special Forces Battalion of the Philippine Army, in promoting an environment of peace and order in their respective area of responsibility.

“Like other cities in the country, Cotabato City is similarly, if not specially, situated in terms of challenges confronting it and on how to effectively thwart crimes, more particularly the bomb threats and other related-lawlessness transpiring within its jurisdiction,” he said.

There are also guidelines and response measures against shooting incidents, motorcycle theft, and other related-lawlessness.

“Be that as it may, the Cotabato City Police Office, with the support of the local government unit, AFP, non-government organizations, and other stakeholders, is invariably resolved to stamp out all forms of criminalities within its area of responsibility allowing the herein strategies, which, although not perfect, are deemed doable and cost-effective when applied in the local milieu,” he said.

Dumama added that the CCPO in coordination with the 37 barangay chairmen will launch an aggressive campaign against carnapping,  particularly motorcycle theft.

For anti-robbery plan, he said the city is also challenged on how to effectively thwart street crimes such as snatchings and pick-pocketings.

For the anti-illegal drugs campaign, the city government continues with its serious battle against this menace.

Mayor Guiani-Sayadi, since day one up to this time, has been regularly conducting ronda patrol at night to ensure the safety of the populace. (GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE ACOSTA- MINDANAO EXPOSE’)