Midsayap strengthens its security measures

MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato --- This town has tightened measures in its checkpoints along major roads to further strengthen security.

Mayor Romeo Araña said that at present there are two checkpoints along the national highway from Cotabato City going to Davao City and another two on the road from Midsayap to DatuPiang town in Maguindanao.

“Araña said they are doing, by all possible means, to secure the safety of their populace following the previous attacks in their town,” Araña said.

Araña stressed they will never allow these attacks to happen again.

“We are grateful with the help of the provincial government. The police, Army, and barangay officials also play a major role in stabilizing peace and order here. We have provided the barangays with cellular phones to help them with our campaign,” the mayor added.

Just more than a month ago, a passerby was seriously injured in an explosion that rocked the town proper, where 16-year-old Hisnon Midpantao sustained shrapnel wounds in different parts of his body.

On December 24, 2016, more than 10 people were injured in a blast outside a church. The blast ripped through a police car and hit church-goers arriving for Christmas Eve mass at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santo Niño. The blast occurred about 30 meters (98 feet) away from the church's entrance which caused panic.

It was reported that the victims suffered minor injuries, except for one female civilian whose foot was seriously injured.A member of the Midsayap police force was also injured.

The Midsayap local government condemned the blast as an act of cowardice.

Araña has asked the people of Midsayap to fight any form of violence with prayers and requested the constituents to be the vanguard of peace and order in their own communities.

"We encourage vigilance and caution,” he said.

Midsayap is a first class municipality in the province of North Cotabato with a population of 151,684.

Midsayap is geographically located at the south-western portion of North Cotabato province. It is bounded on the north by the Municipality of Libungan, on the south by the Rio Grande de Mindanao, on the east by the municipalities of Aleosan and Pikit, and on the west by the Municipality of Kabuntalan. (GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE ACOSTA– MINDANAO EXPOSE’)