The Philippine National Police (PNP) will intensify its police presence and crime prevention operations to prevent other terror attacks like the bombing in Lamitan, Basilan, PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said.
“Nagbigay tayo ng directive sa mga iba’t-ibang regions to intensify their police presence, napaka-importante po niyan, sa labas ng lansangan dapat nandyan majority ng ating mga pulis,” Albayalde said in an ambush interview on Wednesday, ordering PNP personnel to intensify Oplan Sita and checkpoint operations.
A total of 11 people were killed after a van exploded near an Army checkpoint on Tuesday morning. Killed were three women, five militiamen, a soldier, a child, and the van driver.
Five others were critically injured in the incident.
Local government officials in Lamitan initially said only 10 were killed in the blast as they “do not count the life of a demon,” implying that the blast was the work of a suicide bomber. Malacañang later denounced the bombing as a “war crime.”
READ: 11 killed as van explodes in Basilan
READ: Suicide bombing eyed in Basilan attack
READ: Malacañang calls Basilan car bomb attack a ‘war crime’
Albayalde said the bombing incident on Tuesday, which was initially linked to the terror group Abu Sayyaf, is an isolated case as the rest of Mindanao remains safe with martial law still in effect.
“‘Yong nangyari naman sa Lamitan, meron talaga namang mga critical areas lang, hindi naman critical the whole of Mindanao. In some parts of Mindanao ‘don lang naman tayo may tinatawag na critical areas,” he said.
He assured people in Mindanao that there is enough PNP personnel in the area to assist in restoring and keeping peace and order, and they would provide additional forces if the need arises.
“Marami naman tayong mga pwersa ‘don. Kung kinakailangang magdagdag pa tayo ng pwersa then we will do it,” he added.
Meanwhile, Albayalde said there are no confirmed reports yet of possible terror attacks in Metro Manila, although he assures that he will work relentlessly to ensure the safety of residents in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“We have to be on our toes especially so here in Metro Manila, dahil malaking impact ‘yan kapag dito. So todo ang pagbabantay natin dito sa NCR,” he said. /muf