Central Visayas cops: False alarm, Abu Sayyaf men not in Cebu after all

In this Sept. 10, 2016 file photo, a soldier in full battle gear helps man a checkpoint in Cebu City, days after the Davao City bombing. (CDN FILE PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

CEBU CITY —  The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) has declared the region is cleared of the presence of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group, a day after issuing an alert.

“Upon validation, we found out that they are not here. A verification we conducted yielded negative results,” said Supt. Julian Entoma, chief of the Regional Intelligence Group, on Tuesday morning.

He said they did not have any intention to scare people and based their pronouncements on the information relayed by the police at the Zamboanga Peninsula based in Zamboanga City.

He, however, urged Central Visayans to remain vigilant.

“Just because they are not here does not mean we should be complacent. We should be vigilant at all times,” he said.

Entoma on Monday called on the public to report anything suspicious after receiving intelligence reports on the presence of six members of the Abu Sayyaf group led by Commander Alhabsi Misaya in Cebu over the weekend.

The same information was received by the Armed Forces’ Central Command in Cebu City.  SFM