Duterte orders higher level of alert against entry of international terrorists

NOTORIOUS TOUGH GUY. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Photo courtesy of Duterte’s official Facebook page.

DAVAO CITY – Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has ordered police and military to effect higher level of alert in the city as President Benigno Aquino III himself relayed intelligence information on the presence of international terrorists in Mindanao.

Duterte hastily convened a command conference on Thursday night at Grand Men Seng Hotel after a phone call from the president instructing him to ensure safety of the people.

“Do not take it lightly,” Duterte quoted Aquino, who phoned him at about 5:00pm on Thursday (June 26). The mayor echoed the same to police officers, military commanders and concerned agencies, saying “coming from the president is a serious matter.”

While there was no specific details provided to him, Duterte said he wants everybody to do more to ensure that the city remains peaceful and safe.

According to the mayor, the government is pursuing “persons of interest” or people in the radar of the government security forces.

Duterte expects more mobile checkpoints and enforce stricter checks at entry and exit points of the city.

“I task everybody to cooperate,” Duterte said.