Shariff Aguak conducts peace, security meeting

CLUSTER MEETING --- Mayor Marop B. Ampatuan (seated center) led the Peace and Order Cluster meeting last January 18 together with the municipal government officials, local authorities, and barangay officials. (GILMHAR A. LAO WITH PHOTO BY ANNE ACOSTA – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao --- The local government here conducted its Peace and Order Cluster Meeting last January 18 at the Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall to abreast the stakeholders of the security situation in the town and to address issues attendant to this.

The meeting was participated by the municipal government officials together with the local authorities and barangay officials.

Mayor Marop B. Ampatuan stressed the importance of coordination among the residents and local authorities to maintain peace and order in the town.

“We always encourage our town officials, most especially our barangay chairmen, to coordinate with the PNP and AFP in the area so we could prevent crime incidents,” Mayor Ampatuan said.

Lt. Col.  Enrique L. Clemente, commanding officer of the 57^th Infantry Battalion, reaffirmed the statement of the mayor, saying: “You are the ones who know who are the people in your respective barangays.”

“Should you see any suspicious looking individual within your barangays, please immediately report to us so we can verify it. It can be of help to sustain peace and order here. After all, we are still under Martial Law. All we ask of you is to be vigilant and a request that the Barangay Peace Action Teams (BPATs) regularly conduct their ronda, most especially at the uncrowded places of your barangays,” Celemente said.

Further, Shariff Aguak Municipal Police officer-in-chargeSPO3 BeritaEndailaalso appealed for the full activation of BPATs for it can be of help in securing the town.

“Let us help each other, BPATs and the Barangay Officials play a major role in securing your barangays. Let us help each other in monitoring the movement of lawless groups for the benefit of our town residents”,” Endaila said.

Meanwhile, to ease the burden in queuing among the business society in the renewal of business licenses and other dues, this municipal government has started last January 15 a “One Stop Shop”held at the Municipal Town Hall.

The businessmen are now aware of their obligations to the local government considering that this endeavor was launched right after the assumption to office of Mayor Engr. Marop B. Ampatuan and his tandem Vice Mayor Datu Akmad Mitra Ampatuan in 2016.(GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE ACOSTA – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)