DSA - zero crime for September

ALL FOR CHANGE is the vouch of the drug dependent-surrenderees after undergoing the recovery and wellness course program offered for them by the Philippine National Police and local government unit of Datu Saudi Ampatuan under the mayoralty of BaiAnidaDimaukom, who is seen standing back of the attendees, 4th from left. (ANNE ACOSTA)  

DATU SAUDI AMPATUAN (DSA), Maguindanao --- Updates on peace and order, security measures, and status on the campaign against illegal drugs were the top agenda in the conduct of the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) meeting here last September 27 at the Gender and Development Building at the municipal government compound.

Muncipal Mayor Hadja Bai Anida A. Dimaukom, who presided over the meeting, gave a big sigh of relief upon receiving reports that no “bogging” untoward incident had occurred in the town for the month of September, saying: “We want this tranquil situation to prevail in our town with our sustained efforts always in place.”

Among those present in the MPOC meeting were Regional Director Juvinal Azurin of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-ARMM), who also chairs of the oversight committee; Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Anisa Abdulkarim; Chief Inspector Barlowe Espega of the Provincial Police Community Relations; chief of police Senior Inspector Abdubasit Kulod;  Capt. Arnel C. Nambatac, operation officer of the 601st Brigade; newly installed Municipal Social Welfare Officer Naphisa C. Pangandaman; representative from the Bureau of Fire Protection-DSA; public health nurse Saida Abdul of the Integrated Provincial Health Office; Liga ng mga Barangay president Anwar Q. Kedtag along with the barangay chairmen; and department heads with their respective staff.

As adopted methodology inreportage, barangay chairmen rendered their respective situationer reports through power point presentation and all gave positive accounts on peace and order.

They were in unison in reporting that “no untoward incident happened within the month of September… the situation as far as our area is concerned as of now is quiet, normal, and peaceful.”

Mayor Dimaukom, in her statement, thanked all barangay chairmen, municipal government officials,and stakeholders for their continued support and cooperationin the maintenance of peace and orderin the locality.

“And to our drug surrenderees, please cooperate and participate in all the programs and activities of our Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines for your own sake,” she said.

Police Senior Inspector Abdulbasit Kulod, Datu Saudi Ampatuan chief of police, in his message, also thanked the barangay officials for their cooperation and support in minimizing the crime volume, saying: “As of this month (September), no untoward incident happened, not even harassments or pity crimes… not a single crime or violative act has been reported to my office. I’m proud to say that this locality is generally peaceful for the past few weeks as per record.”

He called on the different sectors to continue on helping the local government unit in terms of crime monitoring. “If you detect any suspicious looking individual in your area or vicinity, please don’t hesitate to report this to us right away for us to take immediate action to pre-empt the commission of criminality or any act of terrorism.”

The MPOC meeting was capped with a program with the drug surrenderees undergoing assistance program under the PNP-initiated Wellness Recovery Program, bannering the theme, “There is Life after Tokhang.”

Mayor Dimaukom said it is their hope that those involved in illegal drug activities be delisted from the watch list. “In doing so, we will continue monitoring your (drug dependents) activities with the support of the barangay chairmen even right after you have completed your wellness recovery… We want that you are completely out of the vices and that you are into productive activities as responsible constituents.”

In a separate interview with PDEA-ARMM Director Azurin, he said two of the eight barangays in Datu Saudi Ampatuan have yet to comply with the requirements in “drug clearing.” These are Barangays Madia and Kitapok.

He said Barangay Kitapok may soon be declared as “drug cleared” following their active participation in the programs and activities related to drug-free movement.

“I advise the concerned barangay governments to submit the needed documentary requirements for us to check and validate their qualification for drug-clearing. We will schedule the declaration of drug-cleared status if these units have completed the requirements,” he said. (ANNE ACOSTA)

Editorial

Vigilance – weapon against terrorism

Key urban centers, including Cotabato City, in Mindanao have been placed on heightened security alert following bombings that result to a number of deaths and injuries. Last month, Isulan in Sultan Kudarat province, Midsayap in North Cotabato, and General Santos City were rocked by blasts in succession.

Davao City  also raised its heightened alert status to prevent any spill-over of terrorism or  bomb-threats occurring in its adjacent regions where terrorist groups have formed their lairs and cells. General Santos City is sustaining its own alert status to level-4. 

Despite martial law in Mindanao, it appears that terror groups are unfazed or unintimidated by such condition as they continue to roam or penetrate vulnerable communities with their deadly gadgets of destruction and death.

Their targets are not merely men in uniform but the hapless civilians causing fear being in crowded places. Evading public places is one precaution but this limits the mobility of people who feel unsafe in the open field.

Transport and the commuting public have to bear the long queus at checkpoints as one security measure plus the imposition of curfew hours and the “no ID, not entry” policy of some cities, including that in Cotabato. What we can do on these circumstances is to cooperate with authorities and bear the inconvenience but “for our convenience anyway in the long run” as these precautionary measures are meant for our security at the utmost.

We do not know where and when the perpetrators will set off these bombs. Blasts come at a time when we are off-guard despite the presence or visibilities of soldiers, policemen, and barangay tanods. All that we can do is to be alert on suspicious movements of the perpetrators or enemies of the state. Let us always surmise that these terrorists are “heartless” and “vicious” whose intent is to create havoc, destruction, and death for their selfish propaganda.

Dangerous and fearful as these bombs are, we, the public, should not succumb to their intimidation… we have also to fight back as practicable we can do. How? Let us heed the call for vigilance. To be vigilant is our weapon to sustain our security. If we remain adamant under threat circumstances, then we only allow  evilness to thrive. Watching each other’s back is our weapon of defense and offense against bomb threats. Like one title of a movie, vigilance is our

“perfect weapon” so to speak.

In condemning bomb attacks, we have to do battle against the evil forces by pointing on the suspects when we see them or alerting authorities when we sense the placement of the deadly gadgets. Our weapon and our shield is always VIGILANCE.

Instead of offering our prayers and vigil for the dead who have become victims of the blasts as they could be our love ones, relatives, or friends, let us help “prevent” the bomb blasts by being VIGILANT. So this we can do if it means holding on to our dear lives.