DOT asks E. Visayas folks to replicate Bohol’s vigilance

TACLOBAN CITY, June 13 -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) has called on locals in Eastern Visayas residents to replicate the vigilance of Bohol residents in averting potential terrorist attacks.

Tourism Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said people in the region should emulate the actions of Bohol residents when they provided information to law enforcers on the presence of armed groups in their communities.

“Our peacekeeping forces need our help and we are morally obligated to help them because when fighting starts, the innocents are the most affected. We need to find way on how we can be alert, who should be on guard, how we can be observant how, and who should we observing,” Tiopes said in an interview Monday afternoon. 

The official was referring to the reports early April this year that residents were the first to spot the suspicious-looking armed men entering Inabanga River and going to Napo village in Inabanga town. 

The people should be cooperative and supportive to security measures being observed to ensure public safety especially in ports, airports, hotels, restaurants, and other public places, said Tiopes. 

“This is done to ensure our safety. If the guards will check our belongings, we should cooperate with them because this is done by the management and our government for our welfare and safety. Let’s just support them and not be angry at them,” Tiopes asked tourists.

Despite the proximity between Southern Leyte and Mindanao Island, the region is still safe for tourists to visit, but law enforcement operatives are not complacent, heightening security watch in ports closer to Mindanao.

The police, military, and Coast Guard are doing checkpoints and intensify their presence in the ports of Liloan and San Ricardo in Southern Leyte, the main gateways for travellers going to Mindanao.

Inspection of plate numbers and visual checks to vehicle arriving at seaports or ferry terminals is regularly done to ensure that members of extremist group will not reach the region.

In Tacloban City, the police and military have been doing checkpoints in entry and exit points. The city’s shorelines are also closely monitored to prevent the entry of lawless groups.

Naval town Mayor Gerard Espina also took precautionary measures after the foiled Bohol attack and Marawi City siege by convening the municipal peace and order council to formulate contingency plans in case of emergency.

“We would like everyone to be vigilant in reporting suspicious persons in our villages. At least by doing this, our sectors and agencies will know what to do if such unfortunate incidents will happen here in Naval,” Espina said.

Residents of the town, the capital of Biliran province were asked to immediately inform police operatives if there are sightings of suspicious-looking men in their communities. (Roel T. Amazona/PNA)