Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde, head of the NCRPO (Photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)
The chief of the Metro Manila police called on residents to just go about their business and “live normally,” even as he warned against rumors of violence spreading to the capital from Mindanao, which President Duterte placed under martial law on Tuesday.
In an emergency meeting of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) on Friday, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Oscar Albayalde belied reports circulating on social media that there were four women from Basilan planning to bomb shopping malls.
He said this was the same “recycled disinformation” that circulated in the aftermath of the Davao City explosion in September last year.
Still, Albayalde said the NCRPO had put in place security measures such as checkpoints and increased police presence at vital installations like transport terminals.
Albayalde said the leaders of the various Muslim communities in the metropolis have also assured them that “they will not affiliate themselves with any terror group.”
Friday’s meeting was called by Danny Lim, the newly appointed chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, to discuss the peace and order situation in the metropolis.
Among the mayors in attendance were Ike Ponce of Pateros, Robert Eusebio of Pasig, Antonino Calixto of Pasay, Imelda Aguilar of Las Piñas, Jaime Fresnedi of Muntinlupa, John Rey Tiangco of Navotas, and Herbert Bautista of Quezon City.