BOHOL Governor Erico Aumentado refused to comment on Bohol security measures in place against possible spillover attacks from the Mindanao conflict but assured the local authorities are prepared.
At the Governor’s reports Friday, Aumentado, who was asked about Bohol contingency plans on the matter, assured the Provincial Peace and Order Council will meet next week to tackle the issue.
“We have an operational Bohol Local Internal Security System (BLISS)”, he assured listeners of the weekly program.
The government, internal security forces and the local government units conceived the BLISS to expand the security local capability. This is through engaging communities’ help in repelling reporting re-entry of communist terrorists who left Bohol during the recent anti-insurgency operations, explained Bohol PSSupt. Edgardo Ingking, during a PPOC presentation months ago.
The pull-out and the re-assignment of the 302nd Brigade to Negros which left only a few internal security units operating here heightened the implementation of the BLISS.
Now, after Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)-induced conflict, the country’s military leadership pulled out Bohol’s 43rd Infantry Battalion to help secure Lanao. The movement also significantly decreased the number of armed internal security units here.
Over the development, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who was visibly angered and deeply frustrated by the treacherous MILF acts now doubts the prospects of an early conclusion of the peace process between government and the MILF.
In a statement aired by Press Secretary Eduardo Ermita, the President said she detests the MILF leadership’s lack of control over its base commands, which resulted in the slaughter of innocent civilians and displacement of thousands from their communities.
“The President is deeply saddened by the fate that has befallen the people of Lanao del Norte and regrets that the MILF’s failure to restrain its field commanders reflects the organization’s lack of sincerity to push for a successful conclusion of the peace process,” Ermita said.
At the recent National Security Cluster-Cabinet Meeting, the President has directed the military and police forces to conduct full, vigorous, and unrelenting pursuit operations and use every available arsenal at their disposal against rogue elements of the MILF.
This instruction bolsters an earlier directive from the President for government forces to take back every inch of territory from these marauders at all cost, prevent their re-occupation at will, and to ensure that peace, order and security are restored.
As the military forces have their hands full in a mission to bring to justice the rogue MILF elements, she also warned other armed groups not to take advantage of the situation in Mindanao by undertaking their own destabilization efforts.
In such occurrences, government armed forces will not hesitate to act in a manner that is most appropriate and swift to contain these groups, Ermita read. (rachiu/PIA)
