NorMin peace council to convene after Jolo blast

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The Regional Peace and Order Council of Region 10 (RPOC-10) is set to convene this week to discuss security measures following the deadly blasts in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday.

This was according to Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno, RPOC-10 chairman, who also condemned the bombing at a Catholic cathedral that killed 20 people and wounded more than 100 others.

"There can never be a perfect solution, but at least we in the government has the heart in solving insurgency problem in Mindanao that is trying hard to find for a long lasting peace and fulfill its dream to be a land of promise," Moreno said.
 
Senior Supt. Nelson Aganon, Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) director, said the local police also already heightened security measures following the bomb attack.

Aganon said COCPO has started implementing random inspections on backpacks and other similar items to ensure that the city remains secure from terrorist elements.
 
He said the local police have also coordinated with churches and other places of convergence such us malls and markets, including the security service providers to implement stricter security measures.

The police official also advised the public to remain calm and comply with lawful police directives in checkpoints "since these activities are routinary security measures." He also encouraged residents to report to the police and other authorities whatever suspicious activities or items noticed in their vicinity.
 
Likewise, the Police Regional Office in Region 10 (PRO-10) said it has also raised the security alert as its "highest" throughout Northern Mindanao.
 
"We are doing our best to keep the entire region safe," he said. "While the PNP works round the clock to keep our communities safe, we call on the public to be ever vigilant," said Chief Supt. Timoteo Pacleb, PRO-10 director.
 
Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Emano also condemned the attacks, saying the perpetrators "are not humans for sacrificing human lives at the behest of their personal interests." (PNA)