By
Dominic I. Sanchez
Residents
are advised to expect more police and military presence in the city’s
thoroughfares and strategic areas which include more checkpoints and bomb
squads.
“Zamboanga
City is on heightened alert and we encourage everyone to cooperate with the
police and military if they observe suspicious activities or persons,” said
Mayor Beng Climaco.
Zamboanga
City Police Office (ZCPO) spokesperson Chief Inspector Shellamie Chang said
intelligence personnel have been continuously monitoring the security situation
in the city and found no particular threats.
“We
are still under Martial Law, we are still on full alert,” Chang said.
Meanwhile,
the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Office 9 is
now profiling the fatalities and wounded victims in Sunday’s blast.
“The
DSWD is fast-tracking the profiling so we can provide the needed assistance to
the victims as soon as possible. We will be coordinating with the Provincial
Social Welfare and Development Office for this purpose,” said DSWD 9
information officer Ivan Salvador.
The
Philippine Red Cross in Zamboanga City is also calling on residents to donate
blood for the wounded victims of the Jolo Cathedral blast.
Based
on the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) data this morning, 20 people were
killed while 97 were wounded in the blast. The list of victims has not yet been officially released
as of this report.
In
a statement released earlier, WESTMINCOM reported that the suspects belong to Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) who may have
done this in retaliation for the death of a sub leader last year.
Presidential
Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the explosion is an “isolated incident” and a
“lapse in security” despite the Martial Law.
Panelo appealed to the public not to speculate
whether this incident was related to the
recently-concluded Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite, as “it would be
unfair to certain groups.”
He
said President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to visit Jolo within the day.
